Terror on Nightmare Street
by crematosis
Summary: AU Fayt went to go live with his uncle when his dad died, but now he has returned with his best friend, Albel to go look over things before the house is sold. However, SOMETHING else is now living in the house and it wants to stay.
1. In the beginning

A/N: I'm back…with another story…woo. Anyway, this one features none other than Fayt and Albel. (don't they all? XD). Anyway, Fayt and Albel are spending a week at a haunted house…Fayt's parents died there and it hasn't been lived in for 3 years. I'm sure Albel will be a little OOC…scratch that, a lot OOC...and most of you will probably dislike it…but I'll put it up anyway since it'll get the story idea out of my head.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything! Diddly squat! Nada zip zero zilch! Need I go on?

Fayt: Hi, my name is Fayt Leingod and I will be playing a role in this movie, Terror on Nightmare Street. I'll be sort of playing an alternate version of myself. So, it's a horror movie and I don't usually do horror movies because-

Albel: Because you're a wimp.

Fayt: Shut up, Albel. As I was saying I don't usually do horror movies because, well, the usually have the same storyline. Some people walk into the haunted house and they do dumb things like enter a darkened room or something.

Albel: That's what makes it cool. Then you get to have blood and violence.

Fayt: Uh, if I remember correctly you were freaked out when you watched your first horror movie.

Albel: Just shut up.

Fayt: Anyway, I'm working on this project because Albel insisted. And it has a happy ending so I'm cool with it.

Albel: Good job. Now you just ruined the movie for our viewers.

Fayt: Uhh…okay, it doesn't have a happy ending.

Albel: And now you're lying to them.

Fayt: Well, I'll just tell you right now that Albel and I don't die, Sarah, our lovely director would never have us die.

Albel: But we could lose a few limbs and then that wouldn't be very happy.

Fayt: Right. Well, we'll go back to shooting the movie and have fun watching it!

"Albel!" his mother called.

Albel Nox growled under his breath and pulled his black baseball cap further down over his face and pushed it down on his head. He was busy typing on the computer and he was in no mood to be disturbed.

Albel leaned forward to read an e-mail from Fayt. He and Fayt had been friends for as long as he could remember. Even when Fayt had moved to Florida with an uncle after his dad died, they had still kept in touch. And now, Fayt was finally returning to California.

Albel winced as he heard his door creak open. "Can't you knock?" he growled.

"I just wanted to talk," the woman said softly. She looked at him imploringly with gentle hazel eyes as she anxiously twisted a square of fabric in her hands.

"Fine, Mom," Albel muttered, turning his back to her as he went to answer his e-mail. He wanted desperately to ignore her presence. _'Sure, Fayt. It'll be just like old times..'_

Albel's mother sat down on the edge of his bed, staring at the back of his tight red t-shirt. She was a quiet woman, almost completely opposite from her son. Albel was more like his father than her.

"Well, what do you want?" Albel snarled.

Mrs. Nox sighed. Yes, Albel was so much like his father. The same fiery crimson eyes, dark hair, fierce temper. She felt emotion rise up in her chest. She wouldn't allow Albel to grow up to be like his foul father.

Hearing no answer, Albel whirled around. "Well?" He was startled to see the firm set to his mother's pink mouth.

"Albel, have you been sleeping naked again?"

Albel was slightly surprised. "Yes, but you said I could."

"I don't want you doing that when you're at Fayt's house tomorrow."

Albel rolled his eyes. "No one will see. We'll probably be in separate rooms and even if he walks in on me in the morning, I always keep the covers up to my waist."

"Well, I just don't want the temptation in the air."

Albel knocked over his chair to stand in front of his mother. "Who are you suggesting will be tempted, me or Fayt?" he demanded angrily.

She hesitated. "Well, you're both boys-teenage boys."

"Mom, I'm nineteen," Albel roared. In a fury, he snatched up his backpack he had prepared to take to Fayt's house and slammed out of the house.

"Soon I'll be able to move out of the trash heap," Albel muttered to himself as he headed in the direction of Fayt's old house.

His mother watched him from a window. She bowed her head and made the sign of the cross over her lavender dress. "May the Lord protect them, both of them"


	2. Day 1 Morning

A/N: More Albel and Fayt! Unfortunately, the lovely authoress/directress can't open her mouth all the way or bring her teeth together…I have jaw problems because of my wisdom teeth pulled…so all I can do is drink liquids and write. XD And that makes a girl love to torture Albel and make him OOC. XD

Disclaimer: Not yet…not yet…almost have it. –pounces- Aww, I missed. I still don't have Albel and Fayt. :(

Their reunion had been brief but happy. Fayt had been sitting on the porch, but he happily jumped up to hug Albel when he saw him. Fayt had not changed much in three years. His hair was a little longer and he was a little taller, but he was still the same Fayt. However, Albel had changed a lot, both physically and mentally, even though Fayt seemed not to notice.

Albel snuck a glance at Fayt out of the corner of his eye. They were both inside a house that hadn't been lived in for three years. Fayt had come prepared with flashlights since the widows were boarded up. It was dark and gloomy inside, even though it was 10 a.m. The furniture was all covered with white sheets and a layer of dust and cobwebs on top.

Fayt happily told Albel how he had been glad the realtor called him so he could come back to his old house, how glad he was to see Albel again and be in the old neighborhood. He didn't seem to notice Albel's silence.

Albel was certainly glad to see Fayt again, but he was anxious at the same time. He wondered if he could keep his secrets safe from Fayt even for one night. Fayt was awfully perceptive. Albel rubbed a finger absently along his wrist, right above his scars. If only Fayt didn't find out…

"hey, Albel?"

Albel nearly jumped as he tugged his sleeve down self-consciously before whirling around to face his friend.

Fayt smiled at Albel, completely missing the other boy's tense expression. "Would you mind helping me take the sheet off the couch so we can have a place to sit?"

Relieved, Albel relaxed. "Sure thing, Fayty."

Fayt grinned in delight. 'I remember now. That was your old nickname for me since I was so short. Now I'm almost as tall as you."

"Hmn," Albel muttered, dragging off the plastic sheet.

Fayt happily wandered around the room, touching picture frames and sculptures, reliving memories from his past. Albel sat down on the couch and glanced at the phone on the coffee table next to it. It was already nine years old, but it was still nicer than the one at Albel's house. Well, some people had all the-

The phone rang shrilly. "Oh shit!" Startled, Albel jumped up and backed away. "No one's lived here for three years," he muttered worriedly.

'Calm down," Fayt said cheerfully. "It's probably just the realtor wanting to see if her house key worked." He brushed dust off the phone and lifted the receiver. "Hello?"

Instead of Mrs. Traydor's high feminine voice, a raspy male voice answered him. "Hi, kid. How are you?"

Fayt frowned. "Who is this?"

"What? It hasn't been that long, has it? Fayt, don't you recognize me? I'm your father."

"No you're not," Fayt said firmly. "He's-"

"Dead, yes I know. Lucky for me, Heaven has a direct line to Earth so I could check up on you."

Fay was beginning to be slightly disconcerted. "Who are you?" he demanded. "How did you get this number?"

"Look, son. It's like I said-"

Albel gave Fayt a puzzled look. Fayt pointed to the cordless phone in the other room and motioned for Albel to go get it. Albel grinned and crept along noiselessly and carefully lifted the phone to his ear.

"Nice to hear from you again, Albel."

"Holy shit!" Albel yelped, nearly dropping the phone. He did a complicated juggling move that allowed him to at last catch the phone. He raced out to the other room.

"Fayt, he sounds just like you're old man," Albel hissed.

"I know." Fayt sighed irritably. 'That's who he claims to be."

"I'm pretty sure I believe him," Albel admitted.

Mr. Leingod chuckled. "Well, boys, how long has it been, a few years? I have plenty of catching up to do. Albel, are you still on the varsity baseball team?"

"That was in high school," Albel said quietly.

"Oh, that's right!" Mr. Leingod said delightedly. "You boys have finally graduated." His voice became sad. "I'm sorry I missed your graduation, Fayt."

"It's not your fault you died. You were sick," Fayt said softly.

"Well, anyway, are you boys in college?"

"Fayt is," Albel said quickly.

"Good for you, Fayt. I always knew you would make it. But, Albel, you should be there with him. You're a smart boy."

"Not smart enough," Albel said bitterly. "I'm lucky I graduated high school. I had a baseball scholarship, but then I had to pull a ligament and get kicked off the team. I wasn't motivated after that. The scholarship was my only hope. My grades just aren't good enough for college."

"A shame," Fayt's father mused. "What a waste of talent." A silence fell between the three. Fayt was the first to break it.

"Why have you decided to call now? You could have called me at Uncle Wesley's house."

His father sighed heavily. "Well, although I'm glad you're finally living in the old place again, I must warn you-"

"Whoa, hold on. Who said anything about living here? We're just looking over a few personal items before the house is sold."

"But you must stay!" Mr. Leingod cried. "You can only win by staying here."

"Win what?" Albel asked warily.

"You remember those cranky neighbors across the street, don't you, Fayt?"

"Yeah, but-"

"They used to live here. You were only two when they had to move out. Some kind of financial trouble. Anyway, we bought the place from them. Later on, they made enough money and tried to get the house back, but we weren't interested in selling. They took the house across the street and nursed a grudge ever since."

"They died a few months before you," Fayt whispered, his mouth dry.

"Exactly. They killed me off somehow. They then had the place to themselves since you had to be sent to a relative. But lucky for us, some crazy bastard wants to but this old place and you came back. Now is your chance."

"To do what?" Fayt asked tiredly. He glanced over at Albel.

Albel had wandered over to an old mirror mounted on the wall and as he reached out to touch it, something sinister moved in its depths. Albel recoiled in shock. "Shit! What's that doing in there?"

Mr. Leingod sighed. "Is that the only word you know, Albel? You used to have such good vocabulary."

"But I saw someone in the mirror!" Albel protested. "It was a scary-looking old lady."

"Ah, yes, Ethel Rodaime. I told you they were here. Now listen to me, you are both in grave danger. Ethel and Edward are willing to kill you to keep the house."

"We weren't planning on staying," Fayt said nervously. "We'll just leave tomorrow."

"No you won't. The house will be sold and that poor bastard will be killed. No, you must not go. If you stay here for a week, my heir, that'll be the end of them and you can sell the house after that. But if you leave, before the week, they can never be defeated."

"Right, dad," Fayt sighed.

"Well, I have to go, kid. My one free phone call from heaven is almost up. Be careful, boys. I'll be in touch." There was a click as he hung up.

Fayt looked at Albel worriedly. "Sounds like we have a lot to do."


	3. Day 1 Afternoon

A/N: Another exciting chronicle in the lives of Albel and Fayt...how will they be almost killed today? XD read and find out! Oh, I really didn't want to have to do this…but I'm hungry for reviews so...somebody other than Miss Nox and Gackstgal better review. Albel demands it, and you don't want to ignore Albel, do you? Anyway, if nobody reviews to show they care…I'll just have to send chapters to my two faithful reviewers and you won't get to see it. Nyah!

Disclaimer: I do not own Albel and Fayt, but I own Fayt's house and Albel's mommy…so that means a lot. XD

Albel was ever the practical one. He scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. "This will never work."

"Why not? I'm on summer break from college and you're off work. We can stay here for a week."

"What about food? If there's any food in the pantry, it has to be stale. We can't go out and buy more. We have to stay on your property."

Fayt smiled. "Maybe we can't go to the store, but the store can come to us."

Albel looked at him quizzically.

Fayt sighed. "Haven't you ever called the grocery store before? They deliver right to your door."

"Too expensive," Albel growled.

Fayt gave his friend a sympathetic look. "It's okay. I'll pay for it." He picked up the phone and began dialing. "Yes, is this the corner Market?...Yes, I'd like to make an order…"

Albel rolled his eyes and wandered over to a corner of the room. He fished around in his pocket for his i-pod.

"Yes, that'll be all…Okay, from there take a right down Century Boulevard and go two lights. Turn Right down Oaken Cherry Lane. The third stop sign after that is Riding Mare Avenue. We're on the corner of Riding Mare and Night Wish."

Albel perked up. "Riding Mare and Night Wish?"

Fayt chuckled. "Yes, ma'am, 3166 Night Wish, the one they used to call Nightmare Corner. Yes, thank you. I'll see you in an hour."

Fayt hung up and looked back at his friend. "Albel, what's wrong? You look so pale."

"Er, it's nothing," Albel said quickly.

"Hmn, I know what your problem is. You're too skinny. You need to eat something. That'll make you feel better."

"Now you're starting to sound like my mother," Albel complained, following Fayt into the kitchen.

Fayt rummaged through the pantry, tossing expired food into a trash bag. He brightened as he picked up a can of broth. "Hey, this is still good. It doesn't expire until next year."

Albel rolled his eyes and sat on a bar stool at the kitchen counter. "I really don't care if you want to eat musty food."

Fayt banged around in a cabinet searching for a bowl. He found one and blew off the dust. He set it down on the counter with a clang and poured the broth into it. "It's not musty. Are you sure you don't want any?"

Albel turned away. "Suddenly I've lost my appetite."

Fayt shrugged. "More for me." He picked up a spoon and absently stirred the liquid. He looked at his father's portrait on the wall as he slowly lifted a spoonful to his mouth.

Albel stared in alarm as Fayt's soup began to boil. "Uh, Fayt? Are you sure you should be eating that?"

Fayt's eyes snapped from his father's picture to Albel's concerned face. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Drop the spoon now!" Albel commanded.

Fayt did as he was told and looked down in horror at the mass of bubbling green goo in the bowl. The goo boiled over the edges, melted the spoon, and began to burn a hole in the counter.

Albel ran over to the other side of the kitchen and grabbed the fire extinguished and sprayed the counter and the bowl until the counter stopped burning and the goo in the bowl hardened into a lump.

Albel continued to warily point the nozzle at the mess for a few more seconds until he was satisfied it was dead and then he threw the extinguisher onto the counter with a huff.

Fayt shuddered as he looked at the hole eaten away in the counter. "Imagine if that had been in my mouth," he whispered.

"Bah, I wouldn't let that happen to you," Albel said gruffly. "Well, just don't do it again. I don't trust anything in this house."

"Right," Fayt said resolutely. "I won't eat anything in here if it's the last thing left."

"Hmn," Albel muttered, scowling at Fayt.

Suddenly the doorbell rang. Fayt leaped up. "I'll get it."

Albel rolled his eyes. "Oh good, they're early."

As soon as Fayt opened the door, a girl of about fourteen staggered in, her body bruised and bleeding and twigs in her brown hair. She weakly seized Fayt's shirt collar. "help, they're-you must stop them."

"Who are you? And who are 'them'?"

"Sophia, your neighbor," the girl gasped out, sliding to the floor at Fayt's feet.

Fayt looked horrified. "Is she okay?"

Albel knelt next to Sophia and pried one of her hands from Fayt's shoe. "Sorry, kid. She's dead."

Fayt gasped. "I didn't mean to kill her…She never got to tell me who was after her."

"It's not your fault, Fayt. I think the house killed her."

"The ghosts, you mean?"

"Mmhmm." Albel bent and pried a piece of paper out of the girl's hand. He read it and glanced outside. "Hmn, an article on carnivorous plants."

"But we don't have carnivorous plants."

"We do now." Albel pointed out the window.

"Damn!" Fayt exclaimed. "No wonder the poor girl was beat to a pulp. Look at that tulip! It could eat a car."

Albel and Fayt watched in silence as the 20 foot tall tulip curled a long vine-like tendril around a trash can and lifted it into its gaping jaws.

Albel growled in disgust. "I'm getting weed killers. We can't let those fucking overgrown daisies eat a delivery boy."

"And after you kill the plants, I'll stand outside on the edge of our property. If the delivery person doesn't come into our yard, the ghosts can't hurt him."

Albel slammed the door to garage and Fayt waited as he heard loud crashing and Albel snarling. "Shit! Why can't anything stay normal?" Just as Fayt was starting to get worried, Albel burst out of the garage.

Albel came armed with a knife, a can of week killer, and a sprayer. Albel scowled. "We had cobras in the garage, but I took care of them."

"Thank you," Fayt said gratefully. All he received was a grunt before Albel charged out the front door screaming obscenities.

A few hours later, Fayt and a very sweaty Albel sat around the table eating dinner. "We've had a long day," Fayt murmured. "One down, six to go!"

Albel glanced out the window. "It's sunset."

"Yeah, it'll be dark soon. The ghosts will probably be more active at night."

"No, look. The plants in the backyard are settling down." Albel pointed with his fork.

"I thought you killed them all."

"Only the ones in the front."

"Oh. Well, are you sure they're not just trying to lull us into a false sense of security?"

"You and your dumb ideas," Albel growled. "Come on, let's go find a bed in this place. And there had better not be any critters in it." Albel shook a can of bug spray menacingly.


	4. Day 1 Night

A/N: More spookiness! But mostly angst…poor Albel. –sniffle-

Fayt: Why are you making me a damsel in distress? I want to fight ghosts too!

Disclaimer: This story was not originally meant to be yaoi..i thought there would be too much horror for any romance to get in, and it's not really romance…it's just, my Albel muse demanded to be gay, so he is. 0.0 I have no idea if there will be any romance later on, but you have all been warned!

Fayt led the way down the hall to a small bedroom. The door was closed and he twisted the knob. Nothing happened and Fayt frowned.

"What's wrong?" Albel asked quietly.

"The door's stuck," Fayt muttered, tugging harder on the handle.

"Is it locked?"

"It can't be. It's locked from the outside."

"Nothing is impossible in this house. Just get out your key and unlock it."

Fayt grumbled as he dug out his key, turned it in the lock, and tried the door again. "Damn, it still won't work!" He angrily kicked at the door.

"Here, fool, let me try."

Fayt stepped aside and Albel had his turn, but even he had to admit defeat. "Stupid ghosts just don't want us in here. There's another bedroom, right?"

"Just my parents' room. I'm an only child."

Albel sagged against the door frame. "I'll sleep on the couch."

"No, you don't need to do that. We can share. I trust you."

"Maybe a little too much," Albel muttered.

Fat looked concerned. "You don't still smoke, do you?"

"No," Albel muttered bitterly. "I gave that up years ago."

Fayt was relieved. "Oh good, nothing to worry about then."

Albel grinned wickedly. "But just wait until you see what nasty habits I replaced it with. Come on, Fayt."

The two boys were very modest. They changed into their pajamas facing the other way. After they were done they crawled into bed, being careful to stay on their own side as far from the other as possible.

Fayt was silent as he watched the tortured look on Albel's face. At last, Albel sighed heavily. "Fayt, may I sleep without my shirt? It's how I sleep at home."

Fayt was surprised. "Of course you can. I've seen you at the beach before. It doesn't bother me."

"Thank you," Albel sighed, wriggling out of his shirt.

Fayt stared up at the ceiling. "Why do you wear long sleeves all the time? I remember you always used to be so hot in the summer."

Albel froze. "Shit," He hissed through his teeth.

Albel tried to move away from Fayt, but Fayt was quicker. He snatched Abel's wrist and switched on the light. Albel winced as Fayt traced his scars with a disapproving sound.

"Albel, this is terrible! Why have you been cutting yourself?"

"I missed you," Albel said miserably. "I felt so lost without you."

"I've missed you too," Fayt said softly, "but you don't see me doing that."

Albel sighed. "You've always had a lot of friends, Fayt. All I ever had was you."

Fayt rolled his eyes. "That's because you're mean to everyone."

"Bah," Albel said irritably. "They drive me a reason. They're all so stupid and obsessed with their lives to ever take the time to know me. Remember Professor Vox, our chem. teacher?"

Fayt snickered. "Well, he liked you before he knew you. You used to call him Noxious Vox because hew as wrapped around your finger."

Albel snorted. "The man was an ass. He thought because I had an A in his class it made me a model citizen. I sure showed him."

Fayt laughed. "You showed him how much you like mean practical jokes."

Albel scowled. "It wasn't mean. It was…necessary."

"Sure it was," Fayt muttered, rolling over to face the wall.

"I miss the good old days," Albel whispered. "I miss having you around to keep me company."

"You have your baseball team for that," Fayt muttered.

"They kicked me out, remember?" Albel sighed. "They were just looking for an excuse to cut me from the team."

Fayt was curious now. "Why did they hate you so much?"

Albel sighed heavily. "It's because I bat for the other team."

Fayt was confused. "You cheat?"

"No, it's an analogy. Haven't you heard the phrase, 'he swings both ways'?"

"Ah, yes. It means he likes both girls and boys."

"Right, but I swing one way-the wrong way."

Fayt looked wary. "You're gay?"

"Yup."

Fayt made a noise that sounded like he had a hairball.

Albel pretended he didn't hear it. "That's why no one could stand me. They were afraid of me. You were the only who took the time to come near me and find out all about me."

"Not all," Fayt said scathingly.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, but I didn't want you to act like everyone else who can't see past my sexuality. I'm surprised no one else told you, but I suppose they just assumed."

"Assumed what?" Fayt asked in outrage.

"Assumed we were going out because we spend so much time together."

"And you didn't tell them otherwise?" Fayt raged. "Or maybe you were actually planning on that happening later."

"Fayt, please. You're my best friend. I would never get romantically involved with you. I promised myself I would look at you like a brother and not a possible date."

"I don't believe you," Fayt growled. He turned his back to Albel and muttered. 'Tomorrow, you better get out of this house."

"But we have to stay to defeat the ghosts."

"Only I do," Fayt snarled. "You're not my father's heir. Now stay away from me and let me sleep."

Albel felt as if he had been punched in the stomach. He couldn't breathe. All he could do was lie there, feeling alone, even though Fayt was right next to him.

Suddenly, Albel tensed and bolted out of bed. "Fayt, do you hear that?"

"I said I wanted you to leave me alone," Fayt growled.

"But Fayt, something's-" Albel paused to anxiously sniff at the air. "Are you sure you don't smell that?"

"You're being paranoid," Fayt grumbled, putting a pillow over his head.

Albel switched on the lights and stood staring at the ceiling. "It's a coppery smell, almost like blood."

A slight sound from directly overhead caught Albel's attention. He screamed as a drop of blood fell; onto his forehead.

Fayt sat up angrily. "What is it now?"

Wordlessly, Albel pointed to a growing red stain on the ceiling. Fayt's mouth dropped open as he crawled across the bed to stand next to Albel "What do you think-"

He never got to finish. Almost as if a hole had opened in the veiling, a torrent of blood poured down. Albel turned to shield Fayt from most of it. Once the blood trickled to a stop, Albel warily straightened up.

A female corpse landed on the bed with moist of the skin decayed away and a huge hole in her face. Fayt screamed for nearly five minutes until Albel covered his mouth. "Do you want everyone to hear, dumb ass?"

Fayt took a deep, reassuring breath. "That just scared me. So we know now the house has killed twice."

"Damn, we're idiots,' Albel muttered. "It's the same girl."

"Sophia?" Fayt's eyes widened. 'But she wasn't so chewed up when we found her."

"Well, the house chewed her up some more," Albel said gruffly. "Come on, let's go back and look at her body."

Using flashlights, they returned to the spot, but found nothing.

"Told you so," Albel said smugly.

"I'm scared," Fayt said, keeping close to Albel.

Albel shoved him. "Get away from me, you homophobe."

"Look, I'm sorry. You can stay if you want. Just don't get too close to me."

"Hmmn, okay. You can sleep on the couch"

"Are you crazy? That's where a dead person was!"

Albel shrugged. "There's a dead person in the bedroom too."

"Then where will I sleep?"

Albel flipped him off. "I really don't give a shit after how you treated me, but-oh wait…your room is opening again. Go in there."

Before their eyes, the locked door swung open.

"Fine," Fayt grumbled, stomping off to his room. "Be an asshole for all I care. I'm not talking to you again."


	5. Day 2 morning

A/N: Yay for fans! It keeps me motivated…feel free to bug me over e-mail and MSN to get me in gear...because I'm lazy. XD I haven't been working on all my stories…but if there's one you really miss me updating…and if you pester a lot...I'll sit down and look it over…and after I focus on it…I'll probably get inspired to do it again. XD

Disclaimer: I do not own Albel and Fayt. I'm just a huge fan. XD ohh…and the cascada song, "Everytime We Touch"? yeah...it inspired me…like…a lot. XD I can picture a lot of stuff happening in this story when I hear the song. XD So yeah...credit is due there. XD

Fayt woke up early the next morning, feeling refreshed. He yawned and stretched and then checked his watch. "Hmn, it's only 5. I don't have to get up yet." Fayt lay there on the bed for a few more minutes and then began getting dressed.

Fayt frowned as he tried the door. "Damn, it's locked!" Fayt pounded on the door. "Albel, let me out of here!" Albel never came and Fayt conceded defeat. He sat abjectly on the bed, trying to decide whether or not to break through a window.

Fayt turned as the door opened almost as if with a puff of wind to allow Albel in and then close right after him. Fayt gasped as he took in Albel's appearance.

Albel's shirt was ripped to shreds. It was barely hanging onto his body by a few stitches. Where pieces of fabric were missing, there were deep cuts and red welts. A knife was plunged deep into his left shoulder and it was caked in blood. Ribbons of blood trailed down his wrists. A hole was ripped in the knees of Albel's jeans and a huge infected cut decorated each. Albel's shoes were gone and a few of his toes hand been nearly severed.

Fayt couldn't move, except to bring a hand up to cover his mouth from screaming. He was horrified. He could only watch with a gasp as Albel staggered into the room, nearly falling twice. "Forgive me…I'm too weak," Albel whispered, his mouth filling up with blood. "I can't…survive." His eyes became unfocused and he collapsed to the ground.

"Albel!" Fayt cried, jumping off the bed to see if his friend was still alive. Hesitantly, he reached out a hand to take Albel's pulse.

Fayt jerked back as he heard running footsteps. His mouth went dry. "The ghosts...are coming to finish us off."

With a splintering sound, the door gave way and another Albel burst through brandishing an axe. His red eyes flashed menacingly. "Fayt, get away from him. He's an imposter."

The Albel lying facedown on the floor laughed, a slight hint of despair in his tone. "No, you are the imposter. That's why the ghosts won't touch you."

Fay looked confused. "I thought you hated me, whichever one is really you."

"I don't hate you," muttered the one with the axe. "You were being like all those other intolerant bitches. I can't hate everybody. I tolerate you, but I don't have to like you."

The hurt Albel raised himself to sitting and stared at Fayt uncomprehendingly. "I'm going to die and then you'll be all alone. I can't let that happen…I don't want you to be alone. I love you, Fayt."

Fat backed away. "You said you wouldn't fall for me," he said accusingly.

"No, I did." Fayt's eyes snapped to Albel leaning against the door. "When I promise, I keep my word, unlike this slimy scum."

Albel growled and rose to his feet, blood dripping onto the floor. "I care about Fayt, unlike you. Do I have to kill you to keep him safe?"

Albel swung his axe lazily, looking unconcerned. "Think about it, Fayt. He's in no condition to fight with all those wounds, but since he's a ghost, he can still fight. That means he's the imposter."

"What if you're both imposters?" Fayt asked warily.

"Suit yourself," Albel muttered, "But I'm still going to kill this slimy ghost son of a bitch for being me." Albel swung the axe around his head and then dropped into a battle mode.

True to Albel's prediction, the ghost was fighting fit, despite being covered in blood and countless injuries. It hissed angrily as it raked its fingers across Albel's chest, slightly tearing through part of Albel's shirt.

Albel jumped back a few inches and then swung. The axe connected, decapitating the ghost's head. Fayt squealed as the bloody head rolled near him. Blood spattered Albel's clothes but he looked triumphant. "There, fool. One down, how ever many more to go."

Fayt shuddered, looking at the ghost's lifeless eyes. He knew it wasn't really Albel, but it still looked like him and it gave Fayt cold shivers looking at it.

Albel smirked at Fayt. "How many times do I have to save your ass? You're lucky you invited me along or you would be dead by now."

Fayt sniffed. "Why should you care? You don't like me."

Albel sighed. "Face it, Fayt. If I said I liked you, you would take it thee wrong way. You're my friend, even though you are a cowardly bitch."

"Hey!"

"It's true," Albel defended himself. "Yesterday you hated me, but now you want to be friends again."

"Well, I can still be your friend," Fayt allowed.

"Good. No more of this 'don't come near me because you're gay' stuff. We can't split up. The ghosts are using that against us. You have to stay near me at all times so this doesn't happen again."

Fayt blushed. "I don't want to have to sleep in the same room with you. You might get ideas."

Albel growled irritably. "I already told you that I wouldn't rape you or kiss you or even hug you...if you don't want that. I keep my word, alright? So yes, we will be sleeping in the same room. Now, let's stop fighting and go have breakfast."


	6. Day 2 Afternoon

A/N: Haha...Albel didn't die…at least not yet. XD He's not even injured really…except maybe his pride. XD Fayt is a jerk…and a sissy at the same time. XD jeez…I need to work on my Fayt…Albel's in character but Fayt's not. Bad Fayt! Get in character. XD anyway...moving on…

Disclaimer: yadda yadda…same thing as always…a disclaimer about me not owning…I have let me see…a bunch more disclaimers to go. XD oh yeah…and thanks to J.K. Rowling this time for inspiration. XD

After spending a grueling morning killing rabid dust bunnies, Fayt was tired of fighting and ready to take a break. Albel had wandered off and Fayt went to go look for him.

Fayt found Albel in the kitchen, in deep concentration, writing something hurriedly on a piece of paper, then erasing part of it and swearing under his breath.

Fayt grinned. "Aren't you afraid that piece of paper will grow fangs and bit your fingers off?"

Albel glanced up at Fayt, a vacant look in his eyes. He hadn't quite come out of his little world yet. "I brought this from home," he said absently. He went back to being hunched over his paper

Fayt frowned, slightly curious. "What are you writing?"

Albel glanced up, slightly annoyed. "I'm figuring out how much money we have left to spend."

"But I think we have enough food for the week."

"Yeah, but I'm tired of instant soup and coffee and all that crap. Go order us a pizza, Fayt."

Fay pouted. "Do I look like your slave?"

Albel considered. "After I just saved your ass, I don't think it would be too much trouble."

Fayt rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll do it."

After Fayt had called in the order, Albel went back to ignoring him and calculating money on the piece of paper. Fayt sighed and sat down on the couch, muttering angrily at Albel.

Twenty minutes later the doorbell rang. "Would you get that please?" Albel's tone was polite, but his eyes showed that he would not let Fayt say no.

"Fine, I'll get the door," Fayt growled. He padded across the room and down the hall to the door. Under his breath he muttered, "Damn idiot can't even get his own pizza. I have to call for it; I have to answer the door. Lazy bastard."

With a heavy sigh, Fayt opened the door, prepared to chew out the pizza boy. But it was not a pizza boy at the door.

Fayt's eyes widened in horror as they rested on the giant black spider. It was at least as tall as the giant plants, and perhaps twice as long. Its huge bloated abdomen was smooth and hairless, glinting in the afternoon sun. It looked at Fayt with its row of eight tiny eyes balanced over a set of huge razor sharp teeth which were covered in blood. It also had huge pinchers that it snapped at Fayt menacingly.

"Sh-sh-sh-sh-" Fayt stammered.

The spider lunged for him.

"Shit!" Fayt shrieked, slamming the door. "Albel!"

Fayt raced back down the hallway to the kitchen. "Albel, come on! Get a gun or something! There's a giant spider. It's HUGE! It could eat us both and a car in one gulp. It could eat our house too!"

Albel looked at Fayt with surprise. "Okay, slow down. Take a deep breath. I can't hear a word you're saying. You're too excited."

Fayt took a deep breath and then began shouting again. "There is a GIANT spider out there! It could eat us!"

Albel sighed heavily. "Right. I'll go get ammo." With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he picked up two kitchen knives, one in each hand.

They stepped out the door. "Where'd it go?" Fayt muttered uneasily. "It was right here."

"Aha!" Albel said triumphantly.

Fayt whirled around fearfully. Albel was pointing to a three foot long spider crawling up the wall. "You're right, Fayt. This guy is big. I don't think he could really eat us though, unless he did it limb by limb."

Albel laughed as Fayt paled and with a quick flick of his wrist threw one of the knives, impaling it neatly through the spider's abdomen. The spider squealed in pain and oozed green body fluids.

"I'm going to be sick," Fayt muttered.

Albel grinned. "Oh, look. There's another one." Fayt turned away in disgust as Albel threw another knife. "Ha-ha, got him!"

Fayt's eyes widened as he looked at the wall opposite to the dead spider. "Uh, Albel? I think we have a problem."

"Hmn?' Albel stepped back closer to Fayt and his eyes lit up as he looked at the pizza box on the ground. "Oh good, pizza's here. But where's the pizza boy?"

"The giant spider at him," Fayt whispered.

"Fayt, those things aren't that big."

"Look," Fayt said softly. He pointed to a large bloodstain on the wall.

Albel frowned. "That means nothing. It could have been there yesterday from that girl Sophia. There's no body to prove it."

Fayt shrieked and Albel turned just in time to see a bloody arm tumble from the roof. He winced. "Yeah, I think you're right, Fayt. Something ate him."

With his hand on Fayt's shoulder, Albel slowly stepped backward into the street, gently pulling Fayt with him. Albel finally stopped, his hand tightening on Fayt's shoulder. "Damn, that thing is huge."

The huge spider was stretched out almost across the whole roof, its jaws covered in blood and a few fragments of limbs lying beside it. A few tiles had been scrabbled away by its sharp legs.

Albel's face tightened with resolve. "Stay here, Fayt. I'm going to run in and get something to fight this monster. Do you have a gun in your house?"

Fayt thought. "No, but there is an oriental sword over the mantle."

"That'll do." Albel raced inside and returned clutching the sword.

"Wish me luck," Albel said calmly, blowing a kiss to Fayt who just scowled. Albel climbed up a tree close to the house and jumped down onto the roof.

Albel performed a complicated series of dodges across the roof that kept him from the spider's grasp most of the time. The spider did manage to grab Albel's leg with its pinchers once. Albel wriggled out of it, tearing part of his jeans and leaving a long bloody gash. Albel finally managed to jump over the spider and land on its back. With a determined look, Albel plunged the sword deep into the spider's back. The spider gave a scream of pain so loud; Fayt had to hold his ears. The spider bucked, knocking Albel off. Albel did a back flip in the air, kicking at the spider's face. The spider bellowed in pain and chased after Albel. Albel waited until the spider was close and hacked of its nearest leg and skirted out of the way. Albel continued around the spider's body until he chopped of all its limbs and then plunged the sword into the spider's head. It screeched again and then lay still.

Albel calmly stepped away from the spider, licking green ooze off his blade.

"Don't do that!" Fayt yelped. "That's a poisonous spider."

Albel looked indifferent. "Oh really? Maybe that's why it gave me so much trouble." Suddenly he swayed and fell, sliding down the roof.

"Albel!" Fayt cried, running forward.

Albel reached the edge of the roof and as he started to fall off, he became cocooned in a huge silk thread, and became attached to the underside of the roof. And Fayt's world went black.


	7. Day 2 Night

A/N: Ehehe..I just realized what a vast undertaking I have…er….undertaken. Yeah…7 days..morning, afternoon, night. That means…21 chapters…plus the little prologue and probably a poem at the end…geez… But don't worry though...I will finish...just not anytime soon. XD And an extra special thanks to my friend gackstgal for volunteering to be my beta…that means less typos and she'll pester me to update sooner. XD Aren't you all lucky?

Disclaimer: I am an AlbelxFayt fangirl...I wouldn't be a fan of my own characters, would I? XD

Fayt regained consciousness to find himself lying in the middle of the street. He slowly sat up and looked around. No giant spider, no Albel.

"Hey, Fayt."

Fayt turned around at they sound of Albel's voice. "Hey-oh my god, what happened to you!"

Albel looked at Fayt quizzically and then glanced down at his arms, which were now just bloody stumps. "Oh, this? Yeah, the spider got me while I was trapped in that cocoon thing. But at least I'm alive, right? Want to come inside and have some spider soufflé with me? I cooked up the body."

Fayt close his eyes and began shaking with fear. This couldn't be happening. This could NOT be happening. Albel was too strong, too proud to live his life without his arms. He wouldn't be able to play baseball anymore. How would Albel cope?

Shaking, still shaking. What was going on?

Fayt tentatively opened his eyes to see Albel standing over him; his arms crossed over his chest, watching Fayt patiently.

Fayt was relieved. It had just been a dream.

"You fell," he said softly.

"You passed out," Albel said calmly, holding out a hand to pull Fayt to his feet.

"I thought you were dead," Fayt muttered. "How'd you escape?"

Albel shrugged. "Turns out spider toxin paralyzes your whole body for about thirty seconds so I fell. The spider's mate tried to trap me in that cocoon thing, but I took care of him. Nasty business. Blood and guts everywhere. But I managed to clean up most of it before you came to."

"Good," Fayt mumbled. "I don't need to see anything else."

"But it was nice knowing you worried about me," Albel said with a sly grin. "I'm touched by your concern."

"Not that kind of concern," Fayt growled. "I'm straight, completely straight."

Albel just rolled his eyes and headed for the house as Fayt continued his tirade about how straight he was.

"I'm straight as a ruler! Don't you forget that! No amount of almost dying will change my mind."

Albel picked up a plastic ruler and showed it to Fayt. "Straight like this?"

"Yes, that's a ruler. I already told you I'm straight as a ruler."

Albel examined the ruler thoughtfully. "There's a kink in one side." Fayt stiffened. Albel bent the ruler, trying to straighten out the kink in it. "Hey look, you bend both ways," Albel said cheerfully.

"I don't do that!" Fayt snapped. "That ruler was straight until you messed with it. It's naturally straight if you don't mess around with it."

Albel stared at Fayt carefully. "I see what you mean."

"Don't look at me like that!" Fayt growled.

Albel's eyes shifted slightly to the right. "Uh-oh."

"What is it?" Fayt asked worriedly.

Albel calmly picked up a frying pan and walked past Fayt. Blood was oozing from a spot in the wall. Albel smacked the spot with the pan and then stepped back. The flow of blood was significantly less, but a trickle still seeped out through a tiny crack.

"Get me a piece of tape," Albel commanded.

Fayt returned with the tape and Albel pressed the tape over the hole and watched. The tape started to turn red, but no blood leaked out. "Good, we're safe," Albel muttered, eyeing the puddle of blood on the floor. "This is the pizza boy's blood, I think. Poor kid."

"Will the ghosts drop his body on us while we're sleeping, like the last time?" Fayt asked worriedly.

"Nope," Albel said calmly. "I don't think so. They already tried that once. They want to be creative and try something new each time. Besides, if we could handle it the last time, who says we can't handle it again?"

"Just great," Fayt muttered. ""we don't just have ghosts, we have creative ghosts."

"Come on, Fayt," Albel called from the other room. "It's sunset. You don't want to be left alone in there after dark, do you?"

"Coming!" Fayt said quickly, racing down the hall.


	8. Day 3 Morning

A/N: Fayt's so mean to Albel! Hopefully this will start ending it…maybe make Fayt slightly nicer. XD I think he's been learning from Sasuke how to give people the cold shoulder. But I'm a sucker for Albel and Fayt love stories so I'll force him to be nicer to Albel. XD

Disclaimer: Don't I wish Albel and Fayt weren't just video game characters? XD I'd be over at their house everyday fangirling...er…but as long as their house was de-spookified. XD

Fayt woke up feeling that something was out of place. Ah yes, Albel was a little too close to him, nearly touching him. Fayt gently shoved Albel away from him.

Albel whimpered in his sleep and rolled over. "You can't go Fayt," he muttered. "I won't allow it. You have to stay here, stay with me."

Fayt frowned, knowing where this was going. "Albel," he hissed, nudging his friend in the side.

Albel rolled back over and opened one eye. "Yes?"

"You were dreaming," Fayt muttered.

"Yeah," Albel said noncommittally.

"About me."

"Mmhmm." Albel closed his eyes and stretched his arms.

"About you being in love with me."

Albel's eyes snapped open. "What?"

Fayt nodded solemnly. "I heard you. You talk in your sleep."

Albel sighed, looking miserable. Fayt almost felt sorry for him. "I suppose it's true. Damn it, I broke my promise. I promised I wouldn't fall in love with you. No wonder you don't trust me."

Fayt looked thoughtful. "No, you just promised you wouldn't be romantically involved with me."

Albel looked worried. "Are you sure you would trust me? Love is the first step towards romantic involvement, and earlier you didn't trust me when I promised not to."

Fayt sighed. "Well, I suppose it depends why you love me."

Albel shrugged. "Love is a strange thing. I don't know why exactly. If love made any sense, I would never fall in love with you since I already know you don't like me and I'll have to put up with all your bitching."

Fayt rolled his eyes. "How long have you been in love with me?"

'Since right now."

"What? But what about that dream?"

Albel shrugged carelessly. "I had a dream the very first night we were here too. It wasn't really about romance, it was a friendship dream. The one I had a few minutes ago, you were sad about something and said you had to go because you were putting me in danger. But now that you brought it up, I suppose I do love you and have loved you for a while. I just didn't recognize my feelings. Maybe because it's been so long since I loved anybody."

Fayt scowled. "Don't try to guilt trip me. It's not my fault you can't find love."

Albel crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, Fayt, what do you say? Can you still stand me being next to you, knowing that I love you despite your best intentions to stay as far from me as possible?"

Fayt sighed heavily. "I suppose I'm okay with it. To put it this way, my opinion of you still hasn't changed since last night. I'll stand you, but I'm not very fond of you."

Albel nodded slowly. "You've made a wise decision, Fayt. After all, I'll be more willing to risk my life for you since I love you. You need me here to protect you. I wish you would trust me more, but I suppose I can't expect that."

Fayt nodded and drifted off into silence. Albel closed his eyes again as if he was going back to sleep.

Suddenly Fayt tensed up. 'Albel?" he asked in a quavering voice.

'Yeah?"

"Something just crawled up my leg."

Albel chuckled. "Don't move, Fayt. I'll take care of it."

Albel lifted up the blanket, reached under and pulled his hand out. He had a desert lizard by the scruff of the neck, just under its spiky frill. It was a mottled tan and beige color. The lizard hissed angrily and flicked its tongue in Fayt's direction as it tried to wriggle out of Albel's grip.

"See? Nothing to worry about, just a lizard." Albel muttered.

"It's not just a lizard. That one's poisonous."

Albel glanced at the lizard again. "Oh really? Hmn, did it bite you?"

"No."

"Okay, there's still nothing to worry about." Albel casually flicked the lizard to the floor.

The lizard snarled and started right back to the bed.

Albel scowled at it. "Persistent little creep. Oh well, I'll take care of him."

Albel picked up the knife from the nightstand next to the bed. He reached down and neatly decapitated the lizard. Its neck bubbled with green slime and continued to froth for a few minutes and then it was still in a puddle of green slime on the ground.

Albel carefully cleaned the knife with a tissue. "Well, I guess lizards have green blood. That's interesting."

Fayt frowned. "No they don't. The ghost must have been controlling it. All the monsters we've face so far have had green blood."

"You're right. That's awfully perceptive of you to notice."

"I notice many things," Fayt said softly. "Now, please stay on our side of the bed so we can get back to sleep. It's only 6."

Albel shrugged. "Whatever you say, Fayt. Sleep tight."


	9. Day 3 Afternoon

A/N: Again, a word of praise for betas. XD we're each others beta...so that means I get praise too for betaing her. XD But I'm not here to talk about me…we're here to smack Fayt for being mean to Albel…Albel's usually the mean one…but now Fayt gets to be mean, and I don't like it. XD But Fayt will eventually behave…and Albel will get to smack him for being rude for so long. XD A show of hands for whoever wants tickets to see Albel pummel Fayt! XDD

Disclaimer: I own fog! Wait...no I don't…fog is weather which I don't control...and also a movie…the fog or whatever it's called…darn it…I own a couch! Take that!

After lunch, Fayt again found Albel bent over a piece of paper, deep in though.

"You're not calculating money again, are you?" Fayt asked in dismay. "I hope you're not planning on ordering another pizza."

Albel put down his pencil and rested his chin on one hand. He turned his head slightly to glance at Fayt. "No, I'm just doing a little thinking."

Fayt cocked his head to one side. "About what?"

"About everything we've faced so far. The ghosts aren't as powerful as we thought."

Fayt frowned. "I still think they're pretty powerful."

"Maybe so, but they can't do whatever they want. They're bound by equivalent exchange. You have to have something to get something."

Fayt looked confused. "They're using alchemy?"

"No, idiot. This isn't a TV show. This is real."

"Jeez, sorry," Fayt muttered.

Abel sighed. "What I mean is that the monsters we've faced were already on the property. The ghosts just made them larger, like the spiders and the plants, or started controlling them, like the lizard and the cobras. They could probably also make inanimate things come to life, but they can't create anything."

Fayt looked thoughtful. "So are you saying they needed the pizza boy and Sophia to make the blood and they can't suddenly make corpses appear if they haven't killed the person?"

"Exactly. And, see, maybe if it was raining, they could pull a cloud in here. I bet they could move the weather if they wanted to."

"Like the mist," Fayt added.

"Yes-wait, what mist?"

Fayt pointed. A thick gray mist was pouring in through the open windows and under the door frame.

"Damn it!" Albel snarled. "Help me close the windows,"

"It's no use," Fayt protested. 'It'll come in around the edges.

"We have to try," Albel growled, already yanking the nearest window closed.

The room was filling up quickly and the mist was already drifting down the hall to other rooms.

"Do you think this is from fog?" Fayt asked. The mist had already obscured his vision of the room. He was alone in his own pocket of cloud. The air was becoming dank and suffocating.

Something grabbed at Fayt's shirt and he yelped.

"What is it?" Albel's voice sounded close.

"Nothing," Fayt muttered, untangling himself from a potted plant.

Albel laughed. "With you it's always something." Now he sounded clear across the room.

"Albel, where are you going?"

"Nowhere."

Fayt shrieked and nearly jumped as the voice cam from right behind him.

"Damn it, stop moving." Albel snapped. "I'm trying to find you and I don't want to chase you all across the room."

"Okay," Fayt said quietly. He felt around close by until he found something to sit on. "Okay, I'm sitting on the couch!" he shouted.

"Good, that'll make it so much easier."

Fayt waited, breathing in the chilled air, feeling more and more sluggish as time wore out. Just as he was about to fall asleep, a clod clammy hand touched his shoulder. Fayt screamed, instantly alert.

"Shut up, stupid," Albel growled. "It's just me."

Fayt took a deep breath to calm himself. "I'm okay. You just startled me."

Albel sighed irritably. "Come on, scaredy-cat. We need to get rid of this."

Fayt squinted, barely making out Albel's outline. "And how do you propose we do that?"

"We open a window and maybe turn on a fan to blow all this back outside."

Fayt sighed heavily. 'We just found each other and now you want us to separate again?"

"I didn't say we were separating. We're going together."

"We can't stay together in this muck," Fayt insisted.

"I'll hold your hand so you won't get separated from me." Albel put his hand on top of Fayt's.

Fayt jerked his hand back as if he had been burned. "I will not hold YOUR hand."

Albel rolled his eyes. "Don't be a baby, Fayt."

"Then stop being a pervert!"

"Fayt, this isn't romance. This is strictly useful, just like me offering you hand to pull you up. Don't you trust me?"

"Only as far as I can see," Fayt muttered.

"This is getting us nowhere," Albel growled. "Fine, you stay here and I'll find a window."

"Are you crazy? The ghosts will kill me if I'm alone."

Albel sighed patiently. "Stay or come. Either way you won't be happy."

"I'll come," Fayt said reluctantly."

"Good." Albel's hand found Fayt's and he squeezed it reassuringly. "Don't worry, Fayt. My hand won't bite."

"Yeah, yeah," Fayt grumbled. "Let's just go."

The two slowly made their way through the house, one hand stretched out to feel in front of them. After several minutes of groping around in the mist, Albel tugged hard to the right, nearly knocking Fayt off balance.

"Hey! Warn me next time," Fayt growled.

"Sorry," Albel said cheerfully.

'No you're not," Fayt said savagely.

"Okay, I'm not. Happy now?"

Fayt was silent for a moment, strangling Albel in his mind. At last he said, "Do you think we're close?"

"We should be. This room's not all that big."

"What if we're not in the same room anymore?"

"Fayt, we will eventually find a window. Stop being such a worry-wart."

There was another long stretch of silence until Fayt banged into something and he started cursing the furniture. Albel found it amusing, but with a supreme effort, he refrained from laughing.

"Aha, here's a wall," Albel said triumphantly, thumping his hand against it for good measure.

"Is there a window?"

"No, not right here, but we'll just feel our way around until we find one."

'We're probably in the hall," Fayt said gloomily. "The hall doesn't have windows."

"Shut up. We'll go through the whole house if we need to. Knowing where the walls are is very important."

"Fine," Fayt said sullenly. "Keep moving."

Albel moved along slowly, tapping at the walls every few inches. Finally, his fist touched the glass with a faint chinking noise. "Found it," Albel said proudly.

Together, he and Fayt lifted the window. The thick mist was already beginning to dissipate. "I see another window up ahead," Albel said happily. "This pea soup will be gone in no time."

Albel found a small hand held fan and he walked around the room, blowing out the last of the mist. "Well, that's that. Now, what were we walking about before we were so rudely interrupted?"

Fayt merely rolled his eyes and walked away.


	10. Day 3 Night

A/N: Happy happy, joy joy. XD No angst this chapter, just some good old fashioned humor and horror…whoa...an interesting combination. XD Anyway, enjoy yourselves!

Disclaimer: I gleefully claim ownership of Albel's stove and laugh at his rage…ooh…or maybe run...don't kill me!

Fayt had realized early on that Albel was much better at cooking than he was, probably because he still had his mother around to teach him. Albel didn't mind cooking. He probably viewed it as part of his job protecting Fayt. Fayt, for his part, stayed out of Albel's way. Albel was a proud man and any offer of help would be met with violence. Fayt would simply sit at the table and watch.

Fayt sighed and his mind began to drift back to when his mother used to cook for the family. How long ago had that been?

Fayt mentally shook himself back to the present as Albel shouted, "Damn it! I will fucking kill you, mother fucking stove!"

Fayt grinned. "Did you burn yourself?" He watched with amusement as Albel sucked on one of the fingers on his left hand and began beating the stove with a pot held in his right hand.

"I didn't do it," Albel said sulkily. "The god damn stove did it."

Fayt rose. "It looks like you're a little clumsy around the kitchen today. I'll cook. It's no problem."

"No," Albel snapped.

Fayt frowned. "Oh, come on. My cooking's not that bad."

"That's not the point. This fucking stove is out to get me."

Fayt rolled his eyes. "The stove is an appliance. It's not alive."

"That's what they all say," Albel muttered, sourly. He turned back to cooking.

Fayt would have believed Albel was crazy, if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. He watched with mingled surprise and horror as the flames surged under the burner, starting to morph, to grow. He couldn't find his voice to speak, to war Albel. Luckily, Albel was already on his guard.

Albel jumped back as the flames shot up high into the air like a fountain. The pan was thrown off the stove and boiling water spilled across the floor. Sparks cascaded down from the flaming waterfall. They fell to the ground and sizzled as they hit the water or landed on the counter and the cabinets, lighting everything in their path in brilliant flames.

Albel got out of the way of the hot flood and began throwing towels down on the floor to sop up the water. "Get me the fire extinguisher, Fayt!"

Fayt raced over with it. Albel began hosing down the cabinets and counters and the turned his attention to the stove. As he was about to extinguish the main fire, the smoke alarm suddenly went off.

"Damn it, turn that off!" Albel shouted above the noise. He hurled a potato at it.

The smoke alarm shut off, but was quickly replaced by something worse. The ceiling sprinklers came on, showering them with water.

"I didn't know we had fire sprinklers." A wide-eyed Fayt stared up at the ceiling.

Albel scowled in the aftermath, completely drenched. His wet hair was plastered to his face and it dripped down into his eyes. "Damn!" he shouted.

Fayt looked at Albel and then back to himself. He started to laugh. "Look at us. What a mess we are!"

Albel's scowl slowly softened and he laughed too. "Well, Fayt, since dinner is obviously ruined, how about we eat something that doesn't require cooking?"

"Sounds good to me. Maybe something chocolate, like a Snickers candy bar or something like that."

"You've got to eat more than that or you'll end up skinnier than I am," Albel said warningly.

"Fine, I'll munch a few carrot sticks while I'm at it."

Albel gave the stove one last glare. He pointed a finger at it. 'Don't you dare do that again!"

The burner flared up briefly and died out.

Albel jumped. "Shit!"

Fayt laughed. "Come on. Come into the other room away from that thing."

Albel shrugged and gave up. "We'll need to tame the beast to cook anything, but that's a battle for another day. Let's eat."


	11. Day 4 Morning

A/N: Poor Albel. You've said it a million times, I've said it a million times.  
But unfortunately I love to torture him. That will just make the happy parts so  
much sweeter. XD

Disclaimer: Even if I had created him, Albel would not let me own him…He's an  
independent sort of guy that has no need for girls wishing to own him. The only  
person that has a claim on him is Fayt.

Albel woke early the next morning. Fayt was still sleeping peacefully, a tiny  
smile at the corners of his mouth. Fayt sighed happily and snuggled down further  
into the bed.

Albel chewed on his bottom lip. The dreams were so real. Fayt sitting at the  
kitchen table, laughing as he used to when they were friends. Fayt throwing  
snowballs at him. Fayt sitting in the snow in just his underwear, shivering  
until Albel came and carried him inside. Albel shook himself. "He doesn't love  
me, doesn't like me, doesn't even trust me," he reminded himself.

Unbidden, Albel's gaze wandered to Fayt, who was sleeping close to Albel for  
warmth. "He looks so peaceful. He's so close and he's not trying to stay away  
from me." Albel let out a frustrated sigh. "It's too tempting. I can't take  
this." He rolled out of bed and began wandering through the house.

Albel made his way to one of the large windows in the dining room. He looked out  
forlornly as a brilliant sunrise lit up the dark sky. He was in no mood to  
appreciate beauty. It just made him feel further depressed and lonely.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Albel turned to see Fayt leaning against the wall, a cheerful smile on his face  
that didn't quite reach his eyes. Albel's eyes examined Fayt carefully, drifting  
down to the hand held at his side, a bloody kitchen knife grasped in it.

"I'll kill you," Fayt said as casually as if suggesting they eat lunch.

A hollow feeling of dread settled in Albel's stomach. "You're not Fayt."

The fake Fayt pushed off from the wall, a sadistic smile distorting Fayt's  
features. "I'm the only Fayt you'll ever know."

Albel shuddered as the ghost walked closer, appraising him. The green eyes were  
knowing, the smile smug. He knew Albel's weakness as well as Albel did.

"Just relax," the ghost whispered. "It will be over painlessly and then you  
won't have to suffer anymore.

Albel flinched as the ghost reached up to touch his cheek. "No more futile  
dreams, no more lonely nights," he murmured soothingly. "Just an eternity of  
happiness. Heaven is a wonderful place."

"Heaven doesn't accept people like me," Albel said bitterly.

The ghost gave Albel a pitying smile. "So little confidence. Let me show you a  
piece of heaven."

Worried, Albell began to back up until he had nearly touched the other wall. The  
ghost playfully seized his arm and dragged him forward. "You can't run from me.  
You don't want to. I am the embodiment of all your desires. Or perhaps you would  
like to see me in my underwear." The ghost gave Albel a sly look.

Albel groaned. He couldn't hide anything in this place.

The ghost gave Albel a sympathetic smile and put one hand on his shoulder. "Just  
relax, love."

Albel did nothing as the ghost pulled him closer. He didn't resist as the ghost  
pressed cold lips against his own. He knew he couldn't fight this. He couldn't  
kill anyone that looked like Fayt. It would be easy to surrender and pretend it  
really was Fayt, but Albel was never one to do things the easy way.

Albel's eyes widened as the ghost removed his shirt. "Damn him," Albel hissed.  
It wasn't really Fayt, but at least he could die happy.

The ghost's arm tightened around Albel's shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye,  
he saw the other hand raised, the ghost fingers working, changing the grip on  
the knife from one suited for chopping vegetable to one for stabbing human  
flesh. _So this is the end…_

"Albel?" a worried voice called from the other room.

With an angry hiss, the ghost vanished. Fayt wandered into the room, his face  
brightening. "There you are! I've been looking all over."

Albel looked dispiritedly out the window. "I could have died happy," he  
whispered.

Fayt sucked in his breath at Albel's expression. "What's wrong? You looked  
terrible."

Albel looked like a man who had lost everything. His face, normally pale was a  
washed out white, which made him look almost dead. His normally vibrant crimson  
eyes were now a watery orange. He sighed heavily, his very posture reflecting  
misery.

Albel barely managed to meet Fayt's eyes before looking away. He forced a smile.  
"I think you just saved my life."

Fayt frowned. "I didn't do anything. If I had saved you, you would be happy  
right now."

Albel turned back to the window. The bright sun was mocking him. "Don't worry  
about it, Fayt."

"Well, alright. But if you need anything, I'll help."

"No, there's nothing you can do." _Nothing can cure this ache. I just want to  
die._


	12. Day 4 Afternoon

A/N: Rawr, the attack of the angst is gone…I felt so bad for Albel….and I was  
watching a really sad AMV….so...yeah…it got me into the angsty mood.  
Anyway…yeah, I'm a sap for sad stuff…and romancey sad stuff even more than that.

Disclaimer: Yeah yeah…you're all smart people…I'm sure you guys can figure out  
that I didn't create star ocean. XD I'd probably make a mess of it and Albel  
would be the hyper excited one and Fayt would be…normal. Oh dear…that doesn't  
sound like much fun, does it?

By the late afternoon, Albel had brought himself under control. He no longer  
looked depressed, but a melancholy air still hung over him.

"What's the plan, Albel?"

The tactic worked. A faint bit of color showed in Albel's face as he resumed his  
role as the leader.

"Well, seeing how the dead bastards are inordinately fond of this place…" he  
smirked.

Fayt did not like Albel's mischievous look. "What are you doing to do? You look  
like you want to burn down the house or something."

"Maybe I will," Albel said cheerfully. He moved into the kitchen.

Fayt gaped at Albel's back. "What!" He had visions of the charred bodies of the  
future owners of the home trapped under ceiling tiles and burnt debris.

"You heard me," Albel said calmly.

"You can't do this," Fayt protested, clutching at Albel's arm.

Albel pushed him off. "Got a blowtorch around here? A lighter or even matches?"  
He rummaged in the kitchen drawer.

"We have to stay in this house to defeat the ghosts," Fayt hissed. "If you burn  
it down, we'll never defeat them."

"Yes we will. They're tied to this house. If we destroy it, we'll destroy them  
as well."

"We're supposed to sell the house," Fayt growled.

Albel sighed. "Look, I won't burn down the whole house, maybe just part of it.  
Since the ghosts are bound to this house, destroying anything in this house is  
bound to weaken them."

Fayt sighed in defeat. "Alright, you can try. Just please be careful not to let  
the fire get out of control."

Albel struck a match and smiled confidentially as the glow of the flame lit his  
face. "I'm always careful."

Fayt put his hands on his hips. "Oh yeah? What about the time when you-"

"Don't interrupt," Albel said brusquely. He grinned wickedly. "Now, let's start  
with this window sill. I bet these curtains are very flammable."

Fayt forced himself to watch as Albel brought the match close to the window. The  
edge of the curtain started to burn along with the window sill. Albel stepped  
back with a smug look.

Suddenly a gust of chilled air blew through the room, extinguishing the flames  
immediately.

Albel frowned as he rubbed the curtain material between two fingers. There was  
no indication that it had ever been burnt. The fire was put out without a trace.

"Very interesting," Albel muttered. With a sigh, he carelessly tossed the still  
smoldering match onto the couch. It burnt itself out with a hiss, the flame  
never touching the fabric.

Albel's mood shifted abruptly. "So Fayt, what do we do now?" He playfully  
elbowed Fayt in the side.

Fayt scowled. "Don't touch me."

Albel rolled his eyes. "Fayt, have you ever been in a relationship?"

Fayt snorted. "A gay relationship? Never."

"No, any kind of relationship."

"Well I've dated a few girls before, but-"

Albel interrupted him. "If you've ever been in any kind of relationship, you  
would know the difference between flirting and just being friendly."

Fayt's eyes narrowed. "This is a completely different situation! We're trapped  
in the same house, sleeping in the same bed. What do you think is going to  
happen? Imagine for a second that you're a normal girl and I'm a normal guy  
sharing the same bed. Wouldn't you be a little worried?"

"No," Albel said calmly. "If we were friends, you wouldn't try anything."

"But you admitted that you like me more than as a friend!" Fayt shouted.

"Fayt, I would never force you into anything you don't want. I'm not going to  
rape you just because we share a bed. That's ridiculous. You're my friend. I  
would never hurt you like that."

"Don't try to tell me I should recognize the different signs if someone wants to  
sleep with me or just wants to sleep next to me," Fayt snarled. "I've never had  
sex with anyone and I won't until I'm married."

Albel nodded solemnly. "A noble goal."

Fayt scowled. "Don't give me that look. Haven't you been waiting?"

Albel hesitated. "Yes."

"Well, aren't you going to keep waiting?"

Albel sighed. "I've been waiting, but if I meet the right person, it might not  
wait anymore."

Fayt looked horrified. "Sex before marriage is a bad thing. You could get  
someone pregnant and end up paying child support for the rest of your life."

Albel looked at him steadily. "I won't get anybody pregnant."

Fayt looked down. "Oh, that's right. You're gay. I had almost forgotten."

Albel sighed. "I almost wish you had. Look, Fayt, if I already know I'll marry a  
person, say we're engaged or something, I think it's okay to have sex as long as  
we're both willing."

Fayt went off into a tirade about the evils of sex, but Albel ignored him and  
walked away.


	13. Day 4 Night

A/N: Welcome to the almighty Albel abuse chapter! Before I'm through with this,  
most of you will probably be hurling large articles of furniture at me and  
screaming, "Poor Albel! You're so mean to him!" Let's get this over with  
now….Albel had a very bad past….can't handle seeing Albel suffer? Don't  
read….its as easy as that.

Disclaimer: I own no one and nothing…except any poetry I write…that comes from  
my imagination.

Albel calmly picked up his plate and carried it into the kitchen. He turned on  
the water and began washing it.

Fayt sighed and pushed back his chair. "Well, another good dinner. I wish I  
could cook as well as you do." He rose and handed his plate to Albel.

Albel quickly rinsed Fayt's plate and turned off the water. "Didn't your mother  
teach you to cook?"

As soon as he said the words, he regretted them. Fayt looked down sadly.

"I'm sorry," Albel said softly. "We've been friends for a long time, but we  
don't know that much about each other. Come on, let's go talk about it."

Fayt followed Albel into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed, staring  
morosely at the floor. Albel sat next to him.

"Your mother died before I met you," Albel said gently. "What happened to her?"

Fayt sighed heavily. "She died when I was five. I didn't really understand what  
was happening. All I knew was that my mother was sick. I didn't know what cancer  
was. She kept getting sicker and sicker. She was in the hospital al the time.  
She got so bad I wasn't even allowed in to see her. They were afraid she would  
get germs from me. I never got to say good-bye. There was just a phone call from  
the hospital and dad told me, "Mommy won't be back.""

Tears rolled down Fayt's cheeks. Silently, Albel wrapped an arm around Fayt and  
pulled him closer. Fayt gave Albel a look of intense gratitude. He buried his  
face in Albel's chest and began to sob.

Albel said nothing. He simply held Fayt close and waited for Fayt's tears to  
wear out. I'm glad I lived just for this moment. Poor Fayt, he's a wreck, but  
I'll help him.

Almost as if he could read Albel's thoughts, Fayt slowly backed away and wiped  
at his eyes. "Look at me, I'm a mess. You probably have had someone in your  
family die too, but you aren't crying over them. Like-you're dad. You don't have  
a dad and you're not crying."

Albel gazed at Fayt patiently. "He didn't die."

"Oh, he walked out on your family?"

Albel shook his head. "No."

"What happened to him then?"

Albel stared straight ahead at the wall. "When I was six, my father began  
sexually abusing me."

Fayt's eyes widened. "Albel, you poor-"

Albel interrupted him. "He didn't rape me or anything like that. Nothing that  
hurt. He just touched me in inappropriate places. I was too young to understand  
that it was wrong. I saw fathers with their little boys all the time, spending  
the day together. My father told me it was part of father-son bonding and I  
believed him. He did almost everything with me. He would help bathe me and then  
lie me naked on the bed and tickle me all over my body. I told my mother that he  
had bathed me and she told me that was fine, so I thought everything he did was  
acceptable."

Albel sighed and hunched forward. "One day my dad came home drunk and  
accidentally spilled everything. Boy, was my mom pissed. She immediately got a  
divorce from him and had him arrested for child abuse. I had to go to therapy  
for about a year. I hated my mom then, but I realized that she saved both of us.  
My dad could finally stop pretending that he wasn't gay and get a boyfriend and  
I could find someone besides my dad who loved me."

Fayt scooted closer to Albel. "I've never realized how terrible your life was."

Albel smiled. "But that's the reason I met you."

Fayt looked surprised. "Really?"

Albel nodded solemnly. "I was depressed and suicidal in those days. My  
counselors knew if unless I found a friend quickly, I might never recover from  
the trauma. Without my dad, I was desperate for male companionship. Right at  
that point, I think that's when I became gay."

"I suppose you had a reason," Fayt conceded.

"I met you just after my eighth birthday," Albel continued. "I was afraid you  
would be taken away from me too, so I was awfully clingy. I don't know if you  
remember how possessive I was."

Fayt smiled sadly. "I remember. We had a fight and you loosened up."

Albel nodded. "You see, Fayt, I've been gay for all these years and I've never  
taken advantage of you. In my counseling, they taught me the difference between  
abuse and a healthy relationship I was careful to do anything physical with you,  
except hold you and comfort you when you missed your mom. I might have been a  
little clingy, but you were the only friend I had."

"I'm glad I helped you recover from your abuse," Fayt said softly. "I'm sorry it  
had to have had a lasting impact on you."

Albel laughed harshly. "It's not over yet."

Fayt looked worried. "It's not?"

Albel shook his head. "No, I wandered into the clutches of a group of gay  
teenagers with a base on the outskirts of town, even though I was only ten at  
the time."

Fayt's eyes widened. "So that's where you went after school."

"Yup. They helped me realize I'm gay. We hung out together, watched porn, made  
out, TP-ed the houses of homophobes. I finally felt accepted. When I was 12, I  
was allowed, I was allowed to date Michael, who was 15. It wasn't much. We just  
went to the park and held hands and stuff. I was too young for much else. During  
that time, I wasn't around much and it strained my friendship with you. I regret  
that. I wish I could have dated you instead, but I could never have hurt you  
like that. I promised to keep you as just a friend. You were too innocent to see  
what I did everyday. But luckily, I wasn't with Michael long."

Fayt blinked in surprise. "What happened to him?" he asked cautiously.

"Well, I invited Michael over for dinner. Mom thought he was just a friend  
because the code of our gang was to tell no one else that we were gay. Michael  
thought I had betrayed him and he turned me in. Our gang had a strict punishment  
for betrayal." He looked sidelong at Fayt.

Fayt's hands were shaking. He firmly gripped Albel's shoulder. He was afraid  
where this was headed.

"Just after my wonderful thirteenth birthday…I was raped," Albel said bitterly.

Fayt gasped and his eyes widened. "Oh god," he whimpered. He felt sick.

"Not just raped, gang raped, two at once, going through all twenty members in  
the gang. I tried to resist of course, but someone was always shoving me down to  
the ground on my hands and knees. They eventually had to duct tape me to the  
floor. I'm a good fighter, but I couldn't fight off all of them."

"Albel, that's terrible," Fayt whispered. "Why didn't I know? How could I have  
let you go through that all by yourself?"

Albel shrugged. "I was ashamed to tell you. Remember that day I came home  
bruised and bleeding and you thought some gang had beaten me up?"

Fayt looked shocked. "That was when you were raped?"

Albel sighed. "Yes. I only told my mother what had happened, leaving out my  
involvement in the gang. The trial was quick and private. Most of the gang was  
jailed for a very long time, but during the trial, they spread the nasty rumor  
that I had actually liked it." Albel spat angrily. "Most people in town believed  
it. They called me a whore. However, I did meet some very sympathetic gays.  
After all I went through, I wasn't about to put myself in that situation again,  
and I was never going to let anyone be hurt like I was."

Albel made a dismissive noise. "But that happened a long time ago. Let me tell  
you what's been going on since you left. I was fired from my job and kicked off  
my baseball team. Everyone tolerated me as long as you were here because they  
respect you, but after you left, they didn't need to play nice. I've been spit  
on, stepped on, and kicked in the crotch more times than I can count. I finally  
fought back. I started street fighting at 16, which is the minimal age. The pros  
wouldn't touch me because they said hitting a queer was like hitting a girl, so  
I hit first. I managed to win most of the fights and keep making money. Mom  
still thinks I have my job."

"Doesn't your Mom question all the bruises you come home with?"

Albel scoffed. "No, she never notices. She's too busy with her job. When I first  
started cutting myself, she never noticed when I took a knife from the kitchen  
and hid it in my room. She works hard to keep the house. I pretend like I still  
hate her, but we both know I'm not moving out anytime soon. She needs me."

Fayt looked thoughtful. "I would think that after how you've been abused by gay  
people, you wouldn't be gay anymore."

"You mean I'd be scared straight? Fat chance, I'm not that smart. And the thing  
is, those incidents happened to me because I was weak. I can prove to myself  
that I'm strong by dominating another man."

Albel settled back contentedly. "Well, that's my life's story. What's yours?"

"Jesus, your life sucks," Fayt said quietly. "And I've just been making it worse."

"No, you haven't. You helped me through a lot. I'm glad you were my friend."

"Were?"

Albel sighed. "Fayt, we're kidding ourselves if we say we're still friends. You  
can't stand me."

"Yes I can," Fayt said fiercely.

Albel raised an eyebrow.

"I don't want to hurt you like everyone else has. I'll be your friend. It  
doesn't mean I have to be gay too. After all you've been through, you deserve  
hordes of friends."

Albel rolled his eyes. "I don't need hordes of sympathetic admirers, I just need  
you."

"Well, I am your friend."

"Good, then the first thing you can do is to stop flinching when I touch you."

"Done."

Albel yawned and lay back on the bed. "Fayt, I think this is the start of a  
beautiful friendship. Again."


	14. Day 5 Morning

A/N: More lovely terror. My beta is on vacation right now, so unfortunately there might be typos…if you happen to catch any, point them out to me and I will be glad to fix them. Most of the typos I probably noticed, but didn't fix at the time and continued typing, and by the time I got to the end, I forgot all about them. My beta-san has been most helpful. I accidentally typed Albel's name as Label. XDDDD Thank god that didn't go into print. Err…yeah, I'm rambling again, aren't I? It is I, the almighty topic hopper! I shall now hop back to the topic! XD

Disclaimer: Boy, I'm tired of these things….finding less and less amusing ways to state that things aren't mine….maybe Albel or Fayt could do that for me?

Albel: Fayt does not belong to her, Fayt belongs to me.

Me: No, Albel…he doesn't belong to you…he belongs to who created him.

Albel: Oh, right. Fayt doesn't belong to her, or me, but belongs to his parents…which are dead….that's not cool.

Me: NO! He doesn't belong to his parents either...he belongs to his creator.

Albel: Creator….wait a minute…isn't Luther the creator? Wtf? Don't tell me Fayt belongs to Luther! -grabs onto Fayt protectively-

Me: This is a nightmare…..now I have to do it. -sigh- I don't own anybody from star ocean or the hell song by sum-41. I'm just a fan.

Fayt woke up to the lilting sounds of music coming from another room. Albel was already up and out of the room. Fayt sighed heavily and got up as well. "So early," he complained.

Fayt followed the sound of music until he turned the corner and saw Albel sitting on the floor in the living room, playing a guitar. Albel didn't notice him. He was looking at the ground in front of him as he played and sang.

"Everybody's got their problems

Everybody says the same things to you

It's just a matter how you solve them

Knowing how to change the things you've been through

I feel I've come to realize

How fast life can be compromised

Step back to see what's going on-"

"I didn't know you played the guitar," Fayt said softly.

Albel glanced up surprised. He carefully set the instrument aside. "Good morning, fayt." He spat.

Fayt jumped back and frowned. "That was rude."

Albel smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, just had to get the blood out of my mouth."

Fayt's eyes widened as he stared at the red spot on the carpet. "If you cough up blood, you have internal bleeding."

"Nope," Albel said calmly. He rolled up his pant leg to show Fayt a long gash on his leg. "The bastards visited me last night. They cute me and then tried to drown me in my own blood. Luckily, it didn't work, but I've had blood in my mouth all morning."

"Fill up your mouth with water, swig it around, and then spit," Fayt suggested. "That's probably get rid of most of it, at least more of it at once than just spitting dry. But when you try that, use the sink."

"Right." Albel carefully got to his feet. "I forgot it's your house."

"Won't be for long."

"Yeah, got to keep it all nice and clean for the new owners."

Fayt hesitated at the annoyance in Albel's voice. "I'm not inconveniencing you in any way, am I?"

"What?"

Fayt looked nervous. "I mean, if you don't want to be here-"

"You think I'd leave just because I can't spit on your carpet?" Albel's voice rose with anger.

"Well, but-"

Albel talked over him. "This is your life we're talking about! If I leave, you'll be completely at their mercy. I can't let that happen. I don't care if I have to keep everything perfect. I'm protecting you from those ghosts if I have t do so with my life."

Fayt turned bright red. "Albel!" he protested.

"I'm serious, Fayt. What kind of bastard would I be if I left you?"

"You don't have to stay," Fayt said softly. 'I don't want you getting killed either."

Albel smiled. "Don't worry about me. We're safer together. I'm strong enough for us both. I've been through so many things before, that I can laugh at death."

Fayt nervously dug at the carpet with one toe. "How did you cope with all that? I would have died a long time ago."

Albel smiled. "Music helped, mostly happy songs. It cheered me up. My mother thought sad songs would make me realize I'm not the only one suffering and would make me feel less lonely, but they just made me feel depressed because no one was suffering the same thing I was. Anyway, pretty much anything with a good rhythm helped distract me. I hate things that are slow. Sometimes I listen to the same song over and over again if I like it enough and then I learn how to play it. Occasionally I make up my own songs."

"What were you playing just now?"

"Oh, that was the 'Hell Song'. I didn't write it, but it seems to fit me, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does," Fayt said thoughtfully.

"Here, I'll play something else. Look through my i-pod and pick a song." Albel tossed the i-pod to Fayt.

Fayt caught it and scrolled through the songs. "Wow, you know how to play all of these?"

"Yeah, as soon as I learn a song, I put it on my i-pod."

"You must be really talented to play all of these. You've got nearly a hundred songs on here."

Albel studied Fayt carefully. "I think that's the first nice thing you've said to me all week. You better be careful. That look of awe is awfully cute."

"Albel," Fayt growled.

Albel laughed. "Relax, Fayt. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just teasing."

Fayt rolled his eyes. He found he didn't mind Albel's teasing, since he wanted Albel to be happy, but he couldn't let the other boy know. "Let's have breakfast," Fayt said stiffly, turning to hide his smile.


	15. Day 5 Afternoon

A/N: More about Albel and Fayt. XDDD I'm sure some of you have noticed that Fayt has been getting slightly nicer to Albel…that's because a certain someone would rage and/or throw large objects of furniture at me if I didn't. XDD

Disclaimer: I claim full responsibility for traumatizing anyone with scary monsters, but I don't take responsibility for Albel and Fayt….they're just them. XD

It was a hot day outside but oppressively cold inside the house as always. Albel felt extremely bored. He paced the dining room impatiently.

"Nothing is going on!" Albel growled. 'Why am I here to protect you if there's nothing to protect you from?"

Fayt was getting annoyed. He rolled his eyes. "Maybe you'd like to go home if you're bored."

Albel sighed. "No, as soon as I go, something will happen. But that reminds me, my mom's probably worried since I haven't been home in days. She thought I was going to be gone for one night. I should have called earlier, but we were too busy fighting monsters."

"Go ahead," Fayt said listlessly, lying across the couch. He was bored and lethargic.

"Hey, Mom?" Albel paced with the phone in his hand as he talked. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Something came up and we had to stay longer. No, don't worry. I'll be back at the end of the week. We're fine, everything's fine. But maybe you could send over a few-"

Albel scowled and turned to Fayt. "The line went dead."

"Try calling back," Fayt suggested. "Maybe in her area there are connection issues."

Albel tried again and then tried another number. "No, the line's definitely dead."

Fayt frowned. "That's odd."

"The ghost did it," Albel grumbled.

"Why? What did you want her to send over?"

"The police," Albel muttered.

"That makes sense. The ghosts are trying to get rid of us. They don't want any more people here."

"They're just scared of the police," Albel scoffed. "Maybe they think the police will condemn it."

"Albel, these ghosts aren't afraid of anything."

"They're scared of their house being destroyed."

Fayt sighed patiently. "They wouldn't let anyone do that. They'd sic a giant plant on them or something."

"It hasn't worked so far," Albel said contemptuously.

"Albel, stop it! They'll hear you."

"They don't scare me," Albel said gruffly.

Fayt looked at Albel worriedly. "You're going to get us killed," he hissed.

Albel smiled. "Trust me, Fayt. I know what I'm doing. They aren't that strong."

Fayt stared at Albel, realization beginning to dawn on him. Albel was taunting them.

"After all, they're afraid to even show themselves," Albel continued.

"Yeah, you're right," Fayt spoke up.

Albel winked at Fayt and smiled. "In fact, I think the two sons-of-bitches are scared of _us_."

"It seems like it," Fayt agreed. He was beginning to enjoy this.

A sudden burst of light startled Fayt, He blinked to clear his vision and when he looked back, there were the two ghosts, looking exactly like him and Albel.

"Well, if you wanted to see us so badly, all you had to do was ask," the Fayt ghost purred.

Albel crossed his arms over his chest. "You're still afraid to show the real you."

With a sigh and a snap of fingers, the fake Albel turned into an old woman with short curly grey hair and a vicious look in her eyes. Fayt quickly followed suit, turning into a bald man with small, greedy eyes.

"There, you've seen us in our true form. Happy now?" asked the woman.

"No," Albel growled. "Why'd a girl have to pretend to be me?"

The woman smiled. "Of course I would prefer a female body. This is one of my favorites." She morphed into the bloody body of Sophia and sank to the floor. "Fayt, you didn't save me," she gasped.

Alarmed, Fayt backed up shaking off the bony fingers clutching his shoes.

"Leave him alone," Albel snapped.

"Oh, Albel doesn't want his poor little boyfriend hurt?" The woman took on the form of Albel's mother and shook her head sadly. "I am so ashamed of my gay son."

Enraged, Albel shouted, "Leave her out of this!"

The male ghost, now back as Fayt, held Albel back as the angry teen attempted to attack his wife. "Now, now, let's not make a scene, love."

Albel stuck out his tongue. "Disgusting. You kissed me."

Fayt wrinkled his nose. " A gay ghost?"

The woman looked at her husband doubtfully. "Edward?"

Edward, still as Fayt, pushed Albel to the ground and bent over him. "Don't underestimate us," he whispered into Albel's ear. "Both of you will die watching the other suffer."

The ghosts vanished with a maniacal laugh that echoed through the house.

Fayt looked worried as he helped Albel up.

"They'll be back," Albel said calmly. "We just made them angry."


	16. Day 5 Night

A/N: Awww...poor Albel…I torture him so. :( pats him but at least nobody got mad so far that I've been using him to vent all my homicidal instincts on….I've never realized how much fun it is to stab my characters. Err…moving on.

Disclaimer: If I really owned Albel and Fayt, there would be gratuitous smooching in the game….and I wouldn't have to work so hard to reconcile game with fanfiction…or better yet...I wouldn't even have to write fanfiction! But I don't, so I do.

Albel did not like the feel of the air. The wind spoke with a sinister voice, the faint whisper of laughter as it rustled curtains. Albel couldn't pinpoint exactly where it was coming from, but it made him feel uneasy. The hair was practically standing up on the back of his neck. He felt watched, hunted. Fayt didn't seem to be feeling any of these effects. He went on talking cheerfully as the two of them were walking down the hall.

Albel didn't immediately notice when Fayt walked into the kitchen to see what they had for dinner. The lights in the hall had flickered and the voices seemed to grow louder, almost as if they were in the very walls. Albel tentatively put his ear to the wall to listen intently.

Suddenly Albel found himself slammed back against the opposite wall. He grimaced as pain registered in his skull. A slight flutter of breeze brushed against his lips and caressed his cheek like an invisible hand. "I told you not to underestimate us," a quiet voice whispered in his ear. Then the real pain started.

Albel was viciously pinned to the wall. He couldn't move, couldn't breathe. He gasped, choking on his own air.

"Hey, Albel?" Fayt stuck his head back into the hallway. "It's six. We can start dinner now if you want."

Albel couldn't reply. He let out a strangled whimper of pain.

Fayt traveled up the hall until he saw Albel, standing spread-eagled, pressed against the wall, his eyes wide with fright and breath coming in short gasps. Fayt noticed none of that. His gaze went immediately to Albel's wrists, which were illuminated by the light shining directly on Albel like a spotlight. His eyes instantly sought out the short incision across each of Albel's wrists, with fresh blood trailing down his arms.

"How could you go back to cutting yourself again?" Fayt demanded, "I'm here. You can't be missing me. There's no excuse this time."

Albel wanted desperately to make Fayt understand, but his body was already weakening with loss of blood and pain.

Fayt finally noticed the frantic look in Albel's eyes. "Are….you alright?" Albel said nothing and Fayt's eyes strayed back down to the cuts on Albel's wrists. They were slowly growing longer before Fayt's eyes.

Fayt frowned and reached out to tentatively touch each slash. His fingertips touched something solid where only air should have been. The air shimmered and revealed tow long, wickedly curved knives, slowly slicing through Albel's flesh. Fayt scowled and yanked them out of Albel's arms.

Albel gave a sharp cry of pain and pitched forward. The tension Fayt hadn't even noticed he was feeling loosened. Fayt breathed a sigh of relief as Albel fell forward. He almost didn't notice the knives in Albel's ankles until it was too late.

"Oh my god!" Fayt yelped, quickly pinning Albel back to the wall with one knee and both hands. Albel groaned.

"Sorry," Fayt said apologetically. "I almost didn't catch those in time. I couldn't have it rip through your ankles."

Fayt carefully steadied Albel against the wall with his shoulder and knee and began to pull the knives out of Albel's ankles. Unlike the ones in his wrists, they were buried deep into the skin, pinning Albel's feet to the wall. Albel was weak. He flumped forward over Fayt's back. Fayt could feel Albel tense and tightly grasp the back of his shirt as he pulled them out.

Fayt carefully leaned Albel back up against the wall. "There. Can you stand?"

Albel's eyes suddenly widened with a sharp intake of breath. Again he pitched forward. Fayt caught him and gently eased him to the ground. Fayt knelt, cradling Albel's head across his knees. "Any more knives somewhere?"

Albel stiffened and threw his head back with as short shriek. Fayt noticed a tiny line of blood traced across Albel's neck. He pulled out the knife and tossed it away. "Thank goodness that one's gone. They could have slit your throat or chopped off your head. Now you should be safe."

However, it seemed to make things worse. Albel's eyes were nearly closed. He took in short gasps of breath. He seemed to be fading.

"Please don't die," Fayt pleaded. He blushed. "I don't mean to molest you or anything, but I have to check for any more knives."

Albel watched Fayt silently through half lidded eyelids. His breathing became more ragged as Fayt frantically patted down Albel's body. At last he came to Albel's stomach and found a knife buried up to the hilt deep in Albel's belly.

Fayt wrapped both hands around it and tugged it out. Albel's eyes flew open. He screamed and arched his back. Albel's body gave out and he made a strangled choking sound and tumbled to the side, his eyes falling shut.

Fayt felt very afraid. It sounded like the death cough of a video game character. "Don't die!" Fayt shouted. Albel was barely breathing.

Fayt whimpered and bit his bottom lip. He couldn't take Albel to a hospital, but he didn't think bandaging Albel's wounds would be enough with him in this condition.

After some time had passed, Fayt had pulled off Albel's shoes and socks so could bandage Albel's wounds, and then had carefully placed Albel on the bed. After that, Fayt had gone into the hallway to cry in frustration. Finally, he had returned, his decision made.

Albel's breathing was still labored, but he was sleeping peacefully. Fayt hated to wake him up, but Albel might not live until morning.

"Albel," Fayt said softly, nudging Albel's shoulder.

Albel stirred and sleepily blinked open his eyes. "What is it, Fayt?" he asked tiredly.

Fayt instantly felt terrible for disturbing his friend's much deserved sleep. "I have something to tell you now, in case you die before tomorrow."

"Don't apologize," Albel said irritably, burrowing under the covers. "You did all you could. If I die, I die. Your conscience should be clean."

"But it's not," Fayt said mournfully. "I like you. I care whether you live or die. If you die, my conscience will plague me forever, knowing how poorly I've treated some I care about."

"Sorry, Fayt. Like is not going to cut it."

Fayt sighed and closed his eyes, surrendering. "I _love_ you."

Albel was silent for awhile. Fayt started to think he fell back asleep. "You don't have to," Albel said at last.

"But I want to," Fayt said softly. "I've loved you for a long time, but I was afraid. I tried to be mean to you and push you away to protect us from anything happening. But somehow, you still loved me. When you told me all the pain you had been through, I couldn't bear to hurt you anymore, but I realized you had an excuse for loving me, but I don't have an excuse for loving you."

Albel yawned. "I'll chalk it up to be raised without a mother."

"But that's not the reason and you know it," Fayt said sadly.

Albel sighed. "Come here, Fayt."

Fayt crawled onto the bed next to Albel. Albel wrapped his arms carefully around Fayt. Fayt snuggled into Albel's embrace, feeling strangling comforted.

Albel stroked Fayt's forehead with his thumb. "If this is pity, I don't want it. I don't want you loving me just because I love you."

"It's not pity," Fayt murmured, sounding surprised.

"Good. Love is a funny thing," Albel mused. "Just when I thought I loved in vain-"

Fayt desperately clutched to Albel's chest. "Please, everything is okay now."

"Yes, everything is okay." Albel's voice was thick with sleep. "Seeing how we both love each other, maybe tomorrow we can make out."

"Albel," Fayt said sternly.

"Right, not that much." Albel sighed heavily and winced involuntarily at the pain in his stomach.

"Albel," Fayt said worriedly.

"I'm fine," Albel said tiredly. "Go to sleep, Fayt. I'll protect you." Albel's arms tightened around Fayt and then his eyes closed in deep slumber.

Fayt did not immediately go to sleep. He stayed awaked worriedly, knowing Albel could not protect him in his condition. He was wounded and exhausted. Fayt would have to look out for Albel for the night.


	17. Day 6 Morning

A/N: Finally Albel and Fay get to be all happy together and cuddly and stuff. Squee! It makes me happy that Fayt isn't being mean, but…that was part of the storyline and we had to get through that. XD

Disclaimer: If I really owned Albel and Fayt…

Albel: Stop, stop! I don't want to hear it!

Fayt woke up late the next morning He yawned and stretched leisurely before he noticed Albel was missing.

"Damn it!" Fayt wailed frantically. "Why did I have to fall asleep? Something bad must have happened to him and it's all my fault."

Fayt paused to listen to a loud banging sound coming from the kitchen. "Could that be-"

"On top of old Smokey, all covered with cheese! Damn it, wrong one. Uh…yo ho ho and a bottle of rum. Hmnn, I wonder if I could make rum pancakes. Fayt probably won't want them. Oh well, more for me."

Fayt sighed. "He's in a good mood. I wonder if he remembers anything that happened last night."

Fayt padded into the kitchen. Albel had his back to Fayt. He was still wearing his faded grey pajama shirt, but had put on a pair of jeans and his baseball cap on backwards.

Fayt settled quietly into a chair at the table ad watched as Albel started cooking something in a skillet. Suddenly, Albel paused and looked thoughtful. "Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah, someone's in the kitchen I know."

Fayt grinned and got up. "Nice to see you too." He wrapped his arms around Albel's waist, being careful not to hurt Albel's stomach.

Albel leaned back against Fayt. "Ah, so it wasn't a dream."

"Of course not. Didn't you notice how close I was sleeping to you?"

"You always do that," Albel scoffed. "When you're awake you make ever precaution to stay far from me, but as you sleep you drift closer."

Fayt smiled. "I guess my body gives me away."

"Yeah, but I should have done something about that earlier." Albel grinned mischievously.

Fayt rolled his eyes. "Last night I was afraid you were dying, but here you are this morning perfectly fine."

"Oh, there's still pain. I knew that part wasn't a dream. But I fell asleep and I thought perhaps I had dreamed you visited me." Albel gently rubbed one of the slashes, just beginning to scar.

"Albel, don't tell me you took off all your bandages!" Fayt lamented.

"These?" Albel indicated his wrists. "I don't need bandages for these. I've cut myself worse before and I didn't need bandages. But I did leave this one on because it's a pretty nasty wound." Albel lifted his shirt to show Fayt the bandage still wrapped around his stomach.

Fayt flushed and hid his face in his hands. "Don't do that!"

Albel grinned wickedly. "But, Fayt, you looked last night when you bandaged me."

Fayt growled and waved him off with one hand.

Albel chuckled. "Fayt, you are a wonder."

Fayt peeked through his fingers. Albel had gone back to cooking and humming to himself He looked happier than Fayt had seen him in a long time.

Fayt settled into a nearby chair and reflected on the irony of the situation. A moment later, Albel came to join him. "What's wrong, Fayt? You're too quiet."

Fayt flashed him a smile. "No, nothing's wrong. I was just thinking. You're finally happy not that I'm yours, but I've been your property for a long time. Yours to love and protect. But now that I finally see and accept it, we're both happy."

Albel smiled and ran his fingers through Fayt's hair. "Yes, you are mine. Mine to have and to hold."

"Whoa, slow down. We're not married."

"Someday," Albel said calmly. "Someday you'll legally be mine. But until then, I'll take what I can get."

Fayt's face burned with embarrassment. That reminded him of something else. 'Uh, Albel? What are you cooking?"

"Damn it!" Albel growled. "It's going to burn." He jumped up and pointed a finger at Fayt. "Stay right there. I'll get back to you."

Fayt smiled. "I'm not going anywhere."

Albel hummed to himself as he cooked. A few minutes later, he announced, "okay, Fayt, the hash browns are ready." He scooped some on a plate. "If you want, we could-" He turned around and saw that Fayt was no longer there.

"Damn it," Albel growled. "I told him to stay put." Albel smirked. "But when I find him, he'll regret running off."

Albel began searching the house. At last he came across Fayt down the hallway, with his hands duct taped to the wall and a gag in his mouth. Albel ripped off the tape and Fayt took out the gag on his own.

"Why'd you disappear like that?" Albel demanded. "I was worried."

Fayt didn't seem to be listening very closely. He was staring at a spot over Albel's shoulder. "I didn't-Move, damn it!" Fayt launched himself at Albel and the two of them fell to floor. A second later, six large knives thudded into the wall where they had just been.

Fayt warily raised himself to a crouch and looked around. "They seem to have an obsession with knives."

Albel smirked. "This is a very interesting position."

Fayt glanced down and Albel, who was lying on his back under Fat, looking up at him with a predatory grin. Fayt gasped and turned crimson. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry." He scrambled backwards, but Albel grabbed onto his wrist.

"Cool it, Fayt. This is okay. We just need to make one change."

"What's that?" Fayt asked nervously.

"My turn!" Albel said joyfully. He shoved Fayt onto his back and crawled on top of him. "There, much better."

"Albel!" Fayt protested, trying to squirm out from under Albel.

Albel propped himself onto his elbows, digging into Fayt's chest. He touched a finger to the tip of Fayt's nose. "I thought we already agreed that you belong to me."

"But that doesn't mean-augh." Fayt winced as Albel dug his elbows in harder.

Albel looked amused. "Relax, Fayt. I'm not going to force you into anything, but it wouldn't hurt to show a little affection."

Fayt sighed. "So you're saying you're not going any further than this?"

"Yep." Albel rested his head on Fayt's chest. "Forget, breakfast. Let's go back to bed."

Fayt rolled his eyes. "After all the hard work you put into it?"

"Well-"

"And we need plenty of energy to ward off the ghosts."

"Alright, you win," Albel growled. "But you owe me."


	18. Day 6 Afternoon

A/N: Woo…more Albel and Fayt. XD I'm soooo glad I finally stuck myself with the promise of updating every 2 days….it forces me to actually finish a story for a change….woo-hoo! And remember kids, check back ever 2 days. XD but the story is almost done….yay! I'm going to chapter 23 on this…I think. Anyway, yeah…as soon as I finish this one, I'll try to end Sex, Lies and Alibis and Too Late to Love you…I hate having stories just dangling for a long time without me working on them. Soo….finish the ones I'm working on and pray to karma that I don't get any new ideas. XD

Disclaimer: I own…N-O-T-H-I-N-G. XD

"I'm bored," Albel announced.

Fayt rolled his eyes. "Oh no, not this again. Last time the afternoon was boring, the evening turned into too much excitement to handle."

"I'll be careful," Albel growled. "Anyway, I won't be bored for long. Maybe we can watch a movie."

Fayt pointed to a bookcase. "Right there. All the DVD's you'll ever need."

"Right." Albel began pawing through the collection. "Let's see…. 'A Bone to Pick'. Looks interesting. Supposed to be a comedy." He flipped the cover over and read the description. "'A family of werewolves is set on devouring their human neighbors.' Jesus Christ, what kind of comedy is this?"

"Don't watch it if you don't want to," Fayt sighed.

"Okay…'Bambi Gets Run Over' what the hell?" Albel frowned. "uh… 'Blood Rayne', 'Blood Sport', 'Broken Fingers', 'Death Comes Softly', 'Frankenstein', 'Haunted', 'Hung', 'On All Hollow's Eve'."

"Albel, we're already in a haunted house. The last thing we need to watch is a horror movie," Fayt said irritably.

"But that's all there is!' Albel protested, continuing to read the names of movie titles. "' The Scratching'….'The Teen Rape Movie'…er, not exactly horror, but still nothing we want to watch either."

"What's that doing in our collection? My parents would never watch anything like that."

"Let me look at it," Albel muttered. "Jesus fucking Christ!" Albel yelped and dropped the case like he had been stung.

"What's wrong?" Fayt asked worriedly.

"Damn you! Damn you to hell and take this fucking shit with you!" Albel snarled, stomping on the offending movie.

"Albel, what the hell are you doing?" Fayt demanded.

Albel stopped and looked guiltily down at the smashed DVD. "It was the footage of me getting rape," he said softly. "I didn't even know there was footage. I've been trying so hard to get past that ordeal and now they have to bring it back to haunt me! I might have overreacted a little, but I couldn't help it."

"It's okay," Fayt said soothingly. "I'll help you get rid of it."

Albel sighed as Fayt threw the ruined case out the window. "Now, what do we watch?"

Fayt shrugged. "Since all our decent movies got replaced with horror, we can always try the T.V."

"Okay, let's do that." Albel settled onto the couch and picked up the remote. Fayt sat beside him.

Albel put his arm around Fayt's shoulder and Fayt glanced at it. "Those fingers better not wander," he warned.

"Of course not. They're staying right here." He cheerfully pinched Fayt between the shoulder blades.

Fayt winced, but soon forgot the pain, happily snuggling up to Albel. An old black and white romance was showing. Fayt was beginning to get sleepy. Albel calmly ate a handful of Skittles.

Suddenly an ear-shattering wail issued from the television. At the same time, a door in the house slammed shut. Fayt yelped and grabbed onto Albel.

"Let go of me," Albel hissed.

"But I'm scared," Fayt protested.

"Fayt, get your hands out of my lap or I won't be responsible for the consequences." Albel spoke in an oddly strangled voice.

Fayt looked down and quickly yanked his hand back. "Shit! I'm so sorry, Albel. Did I hurt you?"

Albel sighed. "No, but now you owe me twice for getting my hopes up."

"Albel, I already told you I'm not having sex with you!" Fayt said indignantly.

Albel grinned. "That doesn't mean we can't do other things."

"I'm willing to hug you and that's it," Fayt said stiffly.

Albel raised an eyebrow. "I though you loved me. Even friends can hug each other."

Fayt sniffed. "I'd like for you to recall that before I said I loved you, I wouldn't hug you even as a friend."

"That's right. Oh well, I suppose I'll take what I can get."

"I have no problem curling up beside you," Fayt quickly added. "And I'll hold your hand. That's something lovers do, right?"

"I guess that's good enough." Albel sighed heavily and leaned into the couch.

Fayt relented. "And on special occasions…" He hesitated. "I could let you kiss me."

Albel sat back up. "Oh ho ho, that's much better! Now we're getting somewhere."

"I said special occasions only!" Fayt snapped.

"What qualifies as a special occasion?"

"A holiday, your birthday, my birthday…"

Albel looked wounded. "You mean I have to wait that long to kiss you?"

"Take it easy, Albel. It's my first time with a man. I want to go slow, like the first time I dated anyone. I just held her hand for a week and walked her home before her parents would let me hug her."

"That's because you were only in sixth grade," Albel protested. "Our parents aren't here to keep our hands off each other."

"Albel, you've dated guys before," Fayt said gently. "This is my first time. I want to learn slowly."

"I suppose you're right," Albel admitted. He took Fayt's hand and kissed it softly. "Am I allowed at least this until you're ready?"

Fayt turned pink and smiled. "Yes, kiss my hand to your heart's delight."

Albel released Fayt's hand and pressed a button on the remote. "'Mrs. Doubtfire'!" he exclaimed. "Now, I know there's no horror in this one." He glared at the ceiling, daring ghosts to come down and corrupt the movie.

Fayt grinned. "Sounds good to me. Would you like to get us some popcorn?"

Albel cheerfully went into the kitchen and got out a bowl for popcorn. He waited three minutes for the popcorn to finish and then poured it into the bowl and brought it into the other room. The sun was beginning to set, darkening the other room.

"I'm back," Albel announced. "Popcorn's right here."

Fayt merely grunted and reached for a handful.

Albel let himself momentarily forget about the house, the ghosts, and even Fayt. It was his way of dealing with worry. He let himself be absorbed by the movie until he was almost surprised when the credits rolled.

Albel stretched his cramped muscles. "Okay, Fayt. Movie's over. We'll probably have dinner in an hour." Fayt didn't answer and Albel glanced over to make sure Fayt was still there. He could make out the boy's outline in the shadows and was reassured.

"He probably fell asleep during the movie," Albel mused. He grinned and tossed the remaining popcorn at Fayt. "Hey, wake up! The movie's over."

Fayt still didn't move, even after Albel knocked the empty popcorn bowl to the floor with a loud thump. Albel frowned and poked at Fayt's shoulder. Albel instantly withdrew his hand. Fayt's skin felt hard and cold.

Albel jumped up and turned on the lights, flooding the room with brightness so he could see Fayt's stiff body. Fayt's eyes were open and fixed on the T.V. screen, but were unseeing. His skin was tinged bluish gray and he was frozen in the same position he had been sitting in for awhile.

"Holy shit," Albel whispered. "He's like a statue."

Albel sat down on the couch and carefully eased Fayt onto his lap. Luckily, Fayt weighed no more than usual. Albel was silent and he wrapped a blanket around Fayt's body to protect himself from the cold as he cradled the boy against his chest.

Albel laid Fayt on his back across his knees. Albel looked up at the ceiling. "I had just gotten to know you and they had to take you away from me." Albel fought valiantly to keep the emotion out of his voice.

"Damn it," Albel growled, kicking a nearby cushion. "How could they do this to me? Ruthless bastards."

Albel's temper cooled. "No, it's my fault. I let this happen. I was supposed to protect you and look what a mess of it I made."

Albel was so upset with himself that he failed to hear a small, nearly inaudible crackling. He was taken completely off guard when two delicate fingers touched his skin directly below his eyes. "Albel, have you been crying?" a small voice asked.

"No," Albel growled automatically. He caught himself and stared down in wonder at Fayt, who was calmly gazing back at Albel.

"It's okay if you cry. I cried before you were dead," Fayt murmured.

"Jesus Christ, you're alive!" Albel said joyfully, hugging Fayt tightly. "You can't keep doing this to me, giving me heart attacks all the time. I thought I lost you."

"You're emotionally attached," Fayt said softly. "They're taking advantage of it."

"I've always been emotionally attached to you."

"Yes, but now they know. They wanted you to think I was dead and be so distraught that you would commit suicide, and then I would see you were dead and do the same."

"I hate to break it to you, Fayt, but I wouldn't kill myself over your death. Not that you're not important to me, but I've been through a lot and I haven't died yet. But this day still ranks up with my top three worst days."

Fayt wrapped his arms around Albel's neck. "I'm glad. I'd hate to see you die."

Albel smiled. "But you owe me big now. One of these days you'll have to pay up."

Fayt smiled back. "I'll think about it tonight."


	19. Day 6 Night

A/N:I can't believe this is almost over….ah well, it just means I'll have to  
find more scenarios to write about…I can't believe I had enough content for so  
many chapters….but that is indeed a good thing.

Disclaimer: Albel and Fayt are not mine….and neither are tinker toys or any  
other connecting toy thing…although I do have some of them.

Albel and Fayt ended up eating dinner late, around eight o'clock. Fayt was  
already tired and he slumped across the couch as Albel sat close by. It had been  
a long day and he fought to keep himself from yawning. Albel noticed Fayt's lack  
of energy and asked sympathetically, "Need to go to bed?"

Fayt roused himself and scooted slightly away from Albel. "No, no I'm fine."

Albel frowned. "What's bothering you, Fayt?"

Fayt hesitated. "I don't think it's a good idea for us to sleep in the same  
bed."

Albel sighed. "Fayt, we've already been over this. I won't rape you in your  
sleep. I might molest you, but never rape you. I know what its like to be raped  
and I wouldn't force it on any one else."

"I'm not so much worried about you as I am worried about me. You're just so  
close. What if I want it?"

Albel shrugged. "If you're willing, I don't see what the big deal is."

"But I can't," Fayt said desperately. "I promised myself. What if one day you  
don't love me anymore and you leave me? I wouldn't be able to stand that."

"Fayt, I won't leave you," Albel protested.

"Please, Albel. You can't let me do anything. You have to stop me."

"Alright," Albel said reluctantly. He got up and paced, determined to one day  
marry Fayt.

Fayt stood and leaned against Albel's shoulder tiredly. Albel softened and held  
Fayt close. Fayt nestled into Albel's embrace, completely relaxed. Albel rubbed  
Fayt's back and his hands slowly slipped lower…

Fayt yelped and pulled away, glaring at Albel. "Don't do that, asshole!"

"Do what?" Albel asked innocently.

Fayt scowled. "I said you could hug me, but I didn't say you could pinch my  
ass."

"That counts as hugging," Albel said pleasantly.

"How the hell does that count as hugging?" Fayt demanded.

"Well, hugging doesn't just mean wrapping your arms around someone…like a shirt  
hugs a girl's curves or when you go around the curve and you hug the side of the  
road. It's more like something around something."

Fayt paled. "That's a pretty wide definition."

"Yup, do you want to try it out?"

Fayt whimpered and backed away from Albel. "Didn't I tell you I didn't want to  
be involved in anything?"

"Yes, but you don't have to do anything. I'll just do it."

Fayt tripped as he was backing up and fell onto the couch. Albel's predatory  
look alarmed him. "Come on, Albel…please don't." Fayt shielded his face and  
cowered for a moment, but Albel didn't attack him and Fayt carefully uncurled  
himself.

Albel was now staring at a large crack in a section of the wall, completely  
forgetting about Fayt. "Holy shit," he muttered. "This looks bad."

"What is it?" Fayt asked.

"It's a-"

At that moment, a fifteen foot tall T-rex built entirely of K'Nex and Tinker  
Toys burst through the spot of the wall, showering dust and chunks of plaster  
throughout the wall.

"Run, Fayt!" Albel shouted, shoving Fayt away from the gaping jaws.

Fayt raced down the hallway, Albel following close behind. "Fayt, go get me a  
weapon!" Albel yelled.

"Where?" Fayt shouted back, over the roar of the creature.

"On the nightstand, by the bed. I don't care what you get, just get something!  
I'll try to distract it."

Fayt raced into the bedroom. Albel had piled the oriental sword, the axe and  
various sharp kitchen knives onto the nightstand just in case a creature  
attacked.

Fayt grabbed the sword and raced back to help Albel. Albel snatched the sword  
and started darting around the t-rex, just out of reach of the powerful jaws. He  
rolled to the side to avoid the heavy clawed feet and slashed upwards at the  
wires in the legs. The creature bellowed in pain and staggered backwards,  
crashing into a wall. Albel pursued it and the dinosaur ran, its thick tail  
keeping Albel from getting close. It vanished off into the darkness of the  
backyard. Albel sighed heavily and dropped the weapon to his side. "Now we'll  
have to be careful in case that thing comes back."

Fayt edged closer to Albel. "You'll protect me. It's just made of toys."

"Hmn. Why don't you go ahead and get into bed and I'll be back in a little bit.  
I'm going to look for it."

Fayt crawled into bed and began reading one of his college textbooks. They were  
on break for now, but Fayt felt it wouldn't hurt to refresh his memory on the  
subject.

Almost a half hour later, Albel stumbled in through the doorway, panting. Fayt  
sat up alertly. "Did you find it?"

"No," Albel muttered, tripping over his own feet and stumbling over to the bed.

Fayt frowned. "Are you drunk, Albel?"

"Whatsh the point?" Albel mumbled. "We're all gonna die anywaysh. I need my  
i-pod so's I don't hear my death coming. It'll be all painless that way."

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Fayt demanded. 'We're not going to die. Just  
because a dinosaur is running loose somewhere is no excuse. It's made out of god  
damn tinker toys! How could that thing actually kill us? It might pick us up and  
drop us, and hurt us from a fall from that height, but on second thought, I  
don't know if tinker toys are strong enough to hold our weight. Pull yourself  
together, Albel. Start acting like a man. If we die, I don't want you to die as  
a coward."

Albel stared at Fayt, his eyes wild and panicked and slightly feverish. "Fayt,  
it's all over," he whispered.

"Get a grip," Fayt snapped, violently shaking Albel.

Suddenly Albel grabbed Fayt's wrist and pulled it off his shoulders and pushed  
Fayt back. He stopped and stared contemplatively at the floor. "What the hell am  
I doing?"

"Panicking," Fayt said crossly.

Albel snorted derisively. "Me? I never panic."

Fayt scowled. "Okay, what's going on? A second ago you were afraid of death and  
now you're Mr. Tough guy again."

Albel frowned. "I was chasing the beast and suddenly I saw these ghostly eyes  
just staring at me…and I got chills….and then I'm back here with you angry at  
me."

Fayt looked sympathetic. He snuggled closer to Albel. "I'm sorry I yelled at  
you, but you probably don't remember what I sad because you were possessed by  
that ghost or whatever it was that happened."

Albel smiled. "I forgive you, Fayt. I love you so much. How could I ever be  
angry with you?"

Fayt sighed. "I know. I really wish I could give myself to you, but I can't  
throw away my ideals so easily."

Albel shrugged. "It's okay. That just means you'll have to marry me now. And in  
the meantime, you'll fall madly in love with me and worship the ground I walk  
on."

Fayt laughed. "You're really full of yourself, Albel. I know how to put you in  
your place." Fayt tackled him.

Albel fought back and the two rolled around on the bed until Albel pushed down  
with his hands and pinned Fayt to the bed. He quirked an eyebrow at Fayt. "Is  
this one of those special occasions?"

Fayt blushed and squirmed slightly under Albel. "Uhh…I-I suppose so."

"Good." Albel gently lowered his lips to Fayt's. Fayt was still blushing and his  
face already felt hot.

Albel squinted at him. "Hasn't anybody kissed you before?"

"Yes, but not a man."

"What about your dad?"

"My dad never kissed me on the mouth."

Albel looked lost in thought. "Oh, that's right. My dad's the only one that did  
that."

Fayt felt a rush of sympathy for him. He hugged Albel tightly and kissed his  
cheek. "You've been through so much."

Albel sighed contentedly. "This is more like it."

Fayt closed his eyes as Albel carefully began kissing him again, slowly, as if  
Fayt would at any moment back down. But Fayt was not about to. He relaxed in  
blissful contentment. He had finally realized that all along he wasn't afraid of  
Albel being gay, he was afraid of being labeled as gay himself, and to face the  
suffering Albel had been through. But now with Albel at his side, he didn't care  
who saw them anymore. Fayt wrapped his arms around Albel's neck and began  
kissing him back. Albel playfully nipped at Fayt's throat and then happily taught  
Fayt how to kiss a man.


	20. Day 7 Morning

A/N: Yeeesh…this chapter is a little later than every two days, but I'd be damned if I put stuff up with no one reviewing…-pouts- In the future, no review…no chapter….my beta will just get the future story I plan about an alien playing tonsil hockey with Fayt. Tongue of dooooooom! Yes, I do gir impersonations….-slinks off-

Disclaimer: I, the wonderful author of doom, destruction and all that is spastic, has just created a kissing scene. Le gasp. But the strangest thing is it doesn't make me spazz anymore. Behold my creation, a fusion of Albel and Fayt…in liquid form. XDDD Yesh, I own their liquid form, just not the original thing. –grumbles-

"_Kneel, Albel," a stern voice commanded._

_Young Albel meekly knelt on the floor, eyes fixed on the leader's huge, muscular body; barely able to fit into the business suit he was fond of wearing._

"_Albel Nox, I sentence you to the punishment we reserve for assholes and fuck-ups," the leader intoned solemnly._

"_I didn't do anything!" Albel protested hotly._

"_On your hands and knees!" the leader barked._

_Obediently, Albel lowered himself to the ground, looking miserably at the other members gathered around in the shadows, the eyes shining with excitement. Albel's eyes stopped on a short, red-headed boy with freckles, standing near the leader. "Michael, tell them I'm a good person! You know what I'm like."_

_Michael looked worriedly at the leader, who gave him a proud smile. "You did well to inform us. We'll punish him dearly for what he did to you."_

"_Traitor!" Albel shrieked. "I didn't do anything to you! Traitor! Liar ! Bastard!"_

_Albel stopped with a sharp cry as someone aimed a swift kick to his face. "He has a big mouth," the man growled. He chuckled evilly. "I know what we can do to fix that."_

"_Michael, would you like to go first?" the leader asked gently._

"_No, I'll pass," Michael said miserably._

_The leader's voice rose. "Boys, see how this insignificant demon has hurt one of our own? Be sure to be extra rough with him."_

_An appreciative laugh filled the room, and as one, the various members surged towards Albel. Someone roughly yanked down his pants and underwear and it finally dawned on Albel what they were going to do to him._

"_No!" he shouted. "Don't! Please, don't! Michael, tell them I didn't do anything! Help me! Don't let them do this to me!"_

_Michael turned away sadly, unable to look. He plugged his ears against Albel's cries._

_Albel's pleading broke off into a yelp as someone kicked him had in the chest. "Shut the fuck up!" a voice growled._

_Albel's eyes widened as the pain started. His screams were only met with laughter. His fingers scrabbled desperately on the hard floor for something to hold onto. He thrashed, kicking at anyone in reach._

'_Damn it, someone keep this brat still! Get me some duct tape, penis breath!"_

_Albel hands and legs were generously taped to the floor, but that didn't make him give up. "Stop it, please!" he cried, still struggling._

"_Damn it, James! I told you to shut him up! Aren't you ready?"_

_Albel nearly choked as something entirely unwelcome was being forced into his mouth. "Stay still! A voice roared, and brought a combat boot down hard onto his back with enough force that Albel thought he would break-_

"Albel!" a familiar voice shouted. Albel tensed and pulled away from the hands shaking him. Albel finally opened his eyes and began to calm down as he saw Fayt staring back at him worriedly.

"I'm sorry, Albel," Fayt said hesitantly. "But you were crying out in your sleep and you looked so miserable. I couldn't bear it. But it's okay now. It was just a dream."

"Just a dream," Albel repeated hollowly.

"What were you dreaming about anyway?" Fayt asked softly, still seeing the haunted look in Albel's eyes.

"About me being raped," he whispered.

"Well, that was a real event, but you're just dreaming about it now. It wasn't really happening."

Albel looked at Fayt fearfully and unexpectedly clung to Fayt with a whimper. Fayt's heart broke, hearing Albel's anguished sobs, the pain still fresh in his mind as if he had been hurt only minutes before instead of years. It was hard for Fayt to realize that as tough as Albel acted, he was still just as vulnerable as he had been at thirteen.

Albel took deep breath, panting, as the terror faded into exhaustion. He slid off Fayt and slumped back onto the bed, completely worn out by the struggle. Fayt watched anxiously as Albel fell back asleep, silently wishing him happier dreams.

Fayt went into the kitchen and gnawed unhappily at a cheese stick. He had known that Albel would never forget what had happened to him, but Albel had seemed like he could put the horror past him. He was so strong, but yet still tortured by the incident. Fayt continued to eat his cheese in silence, staring morosely at the kitchen floor.

"Hey, Fayt, cheese isn't the best thing for breakfast," Albel muttered.

Fayt jumped and whirled around. He hadn't heard Albel come in. Albel glanced at him curiously, still seeming tired.

Fayt leaped at Albel, wrapping his arms around him tightly. "Oh god, you're alright. You're alright."

Albel was slightly surprised at the way Fayt was holding him as if he was going to disappear at any moment. "Fayt, don't worry so much just because I slept a little bit late. Fayt, what's wit this? Now isn't the time to get all-"

Fayt showed no indication of having heard him. He continued to wrap his arms tighter around Albel as Albel tried to wriggle away. He slowly rocked back and forth.

"Fayt," Albel said irritably, putting more effort into escaping Fayt's embrace. "Fayt….Fayt." The last one came out more as an exasperated growl.

Fayt blinked and embarrassedly separated himself from Albel.

Albel raised an eyebrow. "What's all the fuss about?"

"Well-you were-uh-you see, you were screaming in your sleep" Fayt stammered.

Albel looked thoughtful. "I dreamed I had a nightmare and you were comforting me."

Fayt smiled. "It wasn't a dream."

Albel scowled. "It had to have been."

"Your eyes were open," Fayt said calmly.

Albel's lips curled into a sneer and he shoved Fayt backwards. Startled, Fayt tumbled onto the carpet, landing on his butt. "I'm so pathetic, depending on you for comfort."

"It's okay for you to scream," Fayt said softly. "After all that's happened to you, you deserve to cry."

"Never," Albel said viciously. "I stopped crying at thirteen, after those nightmares stopped."

"Well, they're back," Fayt said uncertainly. 'Maybe the ghosts…"

"I'm a god damn wretch,' Albel growled. "You can't save me from fear. You don't know what it's like."

"Would you like me to feel the same thing you did?" Fayt asked quietly.

Albel frowned, forced to stop his blind rage to think. "No," he snapped. He sat down on Fayt, straddling the other boy's hips, pushing Fayt flat on his back. "I own you, Fayt. I own your body. I own your ass." A suggestive look formed on Albel face.

Fayt looked worried, opened his mouth to protest, but was topped by a finger on his lips. Albel cocked his had to one side, his expression almost tender as he traced Fayt's bottom lip with a fingertip. "It just frustrates me sometimes that we both know I own you, but I don't own you completely. I'll probably never will. I'm not going to force myself on you. I'll wait until you're willing to give yourself up to me. It's just so hard to wait."

Fayt sighed, hating the stressed sound in Albel's voice. "I'll gladly give you everything except my virginity, at least right now. But Ill let you touch me and kiss me as much as you want."

Albel leaned forward and whispered coyly into Fayt's ear. "As much as I want?"

Fayt squirmed slightly, Albel's hot breath making him shiver. "Err…"

Albel looked devious. He shifted slightly atop Fayt's waist, peering down at the boy contemplatively.

Fayt's breath caught and his eyes widened. "D-don't do that!"

"What, this?" Albel shifted again.

"Yes, yes! Stop that!"

Albel pouted. "You said I could touch you."

"I also said I wanted to stay a virgin. Now, don't touch me_ there _again."

Albel sighed heavily. "Not even if it's not with my hands?"

"Still no."

"Not even if you're not naked?"

"For fuck's sake, Albel! No means no!"

Abel grinned in amusement at Fayt's anger. "Then I'll have to touch somewhere else."

Albel leaned forward and gently kissed Fayt, pausing to playfully tug at Fayt's bottom lip with his teeth and nip under Fayt's throat. One hand slowly rubbed Fayt's cheek in a circular motion and the other was cradled under Fayt's neck. Albel licked Fayt's other cheek with a smirk. He moved his hand from Fayt's cheek to Fayt's collarbone. Fayt's eyes fluttered shut and the only assurances Albel had that Fayt was enjoying this were his soft, contented sighs and flushed face.

Albel smiled, seeing how easy it was to please Fayt. A second ago, he had been swearing at him, and now he was happy. Yes, he truly belonged to Albel, belonged with him.

Albel sighed heavily. "Enough for now. We have things to do."

Fayt whimpered as Albel got off him. Albel took pit on the boy and kissed his forehead. "We'll cuddle some more later. Right now, you need a less cheesy breakfast."


	21. Day 7 Afternoon

A/N: Yeah, I'm very sorry for not finishing this earlier…when I promised I would write a new chapter every 2 days….but then I was annoyed that people weren't reviewing, so I got lazy and stopped writing and went to write other things. And then, I realized I really needed to start my various essay, book report, and reading questions due when I go back to school September 5th. And then my keyboard stopped working so I couldn't do either thing….but that's really no excuse is it? Needless to say, I'm happy to be back…and I hope you are too. Day 7….the last day…so close to the end.

Disclaimer: Welcome to the wonderful wide world of "I can't draw"….which means that how could I possibly create Albel and Fayt? If I had attempted to create them….oh, I shudder to think about it.

After Albel and Fayt had eaten breakfast, and were slowly starting to become bored, Albel decided to continue with where he left off earlier in the morning. Fayt let out a small squeak as Albel pushed him against the wall and the predatory look in Albel's eyes slightly concerned him. But Albel merely smirked at Fayt's fearful expression. "Relax, I won't hurt you."

Albel intertwined his fingers with Fayt's and placed Fayt's hands up onto his shoulders. Fayt's wrapped his arms around Albel's neck. Albel leaned forward and kissed Fayt, slipping his tongue past the boy's lips. Fayt moaned and leaned into Albel. Fayt whimpered as Albel broke away for air and began nibbling on his neck and shoulder blades, pressing his body tightly against Fayt's.

"Please, Albel," Fayt begged.

Albel grinned. "Please what?"

"Please stop."

Albel blinked, thoroughly taken aback. He stared at Fayt curiously. "Why stop? We both enjoyed it."

"Albel, there was something sexual about that kiss."

"Of course there was," Albel growled. "I can't have sex with you so I'm taking out all my sexual frustrations with a kiss."

"I can't do anything sexual with you. I promised myself that," Fayt reminded him.

Albel looked stunned. "A kiss isn't the same thing as having sex. They are two separate things." He shook his head sadly. "But if you don't want to kiss me before marriage either, then there's nothing I can do about it."

"That's not what I meant," Fayt said desperately.

Albel looked at him skeptically. "Oh yeah? What did you mean?"

"I don't like it when you kiss me so strongly. It makes me feel guilty. I don't mind being kissed, but when you do it like that, I feel like you're trying to rape me with your mouth."

Albel shrugged. "Alright, I guess you're not ready for that. I'll try to take it slow, and go back to something you're more comfortable with." He smiled.

Fayt yawned and blinked open his eyes. He hadn't meant to fall asleep. It had just been so comfortable. He had been stretched on top of Albel while they were lying on the couch and he had started using Albel as a pillow. Embarrassedly, Fayt pushed himself up onto his elbows and glanced around. Albel was still asleep, so this time he would have to keep awake. They couldn't both be asleep with homicidal ghosts around.

"Go back to sleep, Fayt," Albel mumbled. "I've got things covered."

Fayt nearly jumped. "Er, I thought I would look out for the ghosts while you were asleep. You deserve a break."

Albel opened one eye and regarded Fayt solemnly. "Fayt, you don't need to do that. I'll notice them before you do. I'm a light sleeper."

"I didn't want your sleep to be interrupted," Fayt protested.

Albel sighed heavily. "Fayt, you woke me up by trying to protect me. You're digging your elbows into my ribs."

Fayt flushed. 'I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

Albel rolled his eyes. "Fayt, it would probably wake me if you didn't stay right where you were. You can relax, alright. Nothing's going to happen to you while I'm here."

Fayt sighed and settled back down, resting his head against Albel's chest. Albel rested his hands on top of Fayt's back and sighed contentedly.

Fayt was ready to fall back asleep when Albel muttered, "Hmn, that's odd."

Fayt jerked awake nervously. "What? What is it?"

"Calm down, Fayt," Albel growled. "You're elbowing me again."

"Oops. Sorry, Albel. But I was just worried. What is it?"

"I can't tell. Keep still for a sec and let me listen."

Fayt kept still and tried not to let his racing heartbeat distract Albel. After a minute of listening silently, Albel made a dismissive sound. "Bah, just a dripping faucet. Nothing to worry about. Go back to sleep Fayt."

But Fayt was not easily assured. "Did you just start hearing it now?"

"Yeah, but so what?"

Fayt nervously snuggled into Albel's chest. "Why would it just start dripping now?"

Albel frowned. "You're right. It should have been dripping for awhile. This is weird."

Suddenly, Albel tensed. "Uh-oh. I don't like the sound of this."

Fayt scrambled off Albel and squeezed in next to him as Albel sat up. "What is it? It's bad, isn't it?"

"I'm not quite sure yet. Listen, Fayt. Don't you hear that?"

Fayt listened intently, fighting back rising fear. "It sounds like water."

Albel nodded. "I think someone besides us turned on that faucet."

Fayt laughed nervously. "It's just a little water. What harm could that do?"

Albel's' head jerked to the left. "Now the kitchen faucet's on."

Fayt started quivering as each sink in the house started filling up with water.

"This is ridiculous," Albel growled. "I'm turning them off. We don't need to waste water."

Albel got up and padded into the kitchen a few feet away. He twisted at the knob, trying to turn it off. "Damn, it's stuck," he snarled.

Unexpectedly, the water shot straight out from the faucet into Albel's face. He jerked back, swearing as his drenched hair hung in his eyes. Loud cackling came out from the pipes.

"Damn you, get out of the plumbing!" Albel shouted, pushing his hair out of his eyes.

The water slowed to a trickle and Albel cautiously approached the tap. The water stopped altogether before a crumpled blue wad of paper pushed itself out of the sink and the water started flowing again.

Albel frowned and unfolded the soggy mess. "It says, 'We are coming.'"

Fayt yelped as two tightly squeezed spectral shapes flew out of the faucet and cavorted in the air. They laughed madly. "You'll get what's coming to you," Ethel crowed triumphantly.

Albel scowled and brought up his fists. "Nobody is going to hurt Fayt while I'm still alive."

Edward landed next to Albel and morphed into Fayt. He leaned against Albel and drew a knife out of thin air. "Then we'll have to kill you first, won't we? You wouldn't mind dying at the hands of your dearly beloved, would you?"

Albel shoved him away. "You're not my dearly beloved. You're a perverted old man that goes around kissing people and pretending to be Fayt."

The fake Fayt shoved Albel against the wall. "You should no better than to insult us. We could kill you any moment we want to."

Albel glared back defiantly. "Then why haven't you?"

The ghost snarled and raised its knife but was cut off by a scream. "No, don't kill him! Albel!"

The male ghost vanished and Albel was left staring at 3 Fayts.

"Damn it, don't do this to me," Albel growled.

One of the Fayt's grabbed onto its neighbor and began kissing him. Albel's eyes narrowed. "Now, that would be too easy, wouldn't it? Something weird is going on here."

The second Fayt abruptly pulled away from the first and spat. "Mother fucker! Damn it, that's gross. That's like…kissing myself, but not myself. Bastard!"

Albel frowned thoughtfully. "Now, this is a little more like it."

"Kill those two," the third ghost demanded. "They're obviously imposters. They were making out with each other."

"I didn't do it!" the second Fayt protested. "She started it."

Albel's eyes narrowed. "How do you know it's not him?"

"Ha, told you so," said the third.

The second one scowled and pointed at the first. "I know because while you were busy fighting the guy, she was already morphed into me and then he came over and appeared right over there." He pointed again.

The first stuck out its tongue. "For your information, I am a male. I don't know what you are, but I'm certainly a male. I think those two have to die. I'm the only one that's not a ghost."

Albel sighed in exasperation.

The second stared at Albel calmly. "Kill all of us."

"What?" Albel demanded.

The second Fayt gazed back at Albel resolutely. "It's the only way you can be sure you've got both of the imposters."

Albel frowned. "But the ghost would want that since they don't die and if I killed the real one he would really die and that would-"

He stopped seeing the second Fayt winking and making a cutting motion. "To see who bleeds," Albel whispered.

Albel pointed at the first and third Fayt. "Okay, you both are the imposters."

"Wrong answer," the first hissed as she dissolved into a puddle of water.

The third grinned as he too began to melt. "And you're going to pay for it."

Fayt yelped as the pipes burst and a flood of water started filling the house.

"Damn!" Albel shouted. "Fayt, open a window, a door, or something or we'll both drown!"

Fayt raced around the house tugging on windows that seemed glued shut. "Albel, it's not working!" he shrieked, his voice rising in panic.

"Don't panic, Fayt! Come on over here. Maybe if we both tug on the door it'll open."

Fayt raced over, wading through the water as fast as he could to try to help Albel open the back door. It wasn't locked but it was shut tight.

"Quick, try the front!"

By now the water was waist high with no sign of stopping. It was easier to swim than run. Albel dove under the water and swam from room to room, dodging floating papers and lamps.

Albel came up for air at the back door. The water was now up to his shoulders. Fayt broke the surface a few seconds later. Being slightly shorter, the water was now lapping just below his chin.

"Come on, this is our last chance," Albel said firmly. "Pull, Fayt!"

"It's no use!" Fayt wailed, after it had failed. "We're going to die."

"At least we'll die together," Albel murmured, putting his arm around Fayt's waist.

Fayt leaned against him. "You kept your promise. I'm not going to die before you do."

Albel frowned. "I wish you didn't have to die. Damn door." He scowled and kicked at it.

Abruptly, the old wooden door collapsed under the combined water pressure and the strength of Albel's kick. Both boys were pushed out of the house in a flood of water, still clinging to each other.

They washed up on the sidewalk, completely drenched as other people walking down the street began to stare at the two boys and the shallow river of water making its way down the street.

"We're still alive," Fayt whispered breathlessly, laughing as the sprinklers came on.

"Yes," Albel murmured, holding Fayt close, not caring who was looking.


	22. Day 7 Night

A/N: A special thanks to all my reviewers…this is the most reviews I've ever gotten for a story! It also probably helps that this is the most chapter I've ever written in a story. XD But to all of you out there that aren't reviewing, shame on you! Okay…I'm done. Alright, guys, just one more chapter after this and the story is finished! So, don't go away yet! XD

Disclaimer: I own nothing except an adorable stuffed animal that I like to hug and pretend it's Fayt because Fayt is so adorable and huggable. Too bad he's not real.

After a long moment of being sprawled out of the sidewalk, panting for air, Fayt was beginning to get cold. The sun was setting and soon it would be time to eat dinner. Fayt shivered and muttered. "Okay, you can let go now, Albel. I want to go back inside."

"We have to do this carefully," Albel whispered in Fayt's ear. "We've still got to stay on your property."

"What?" Fayt asked, sounding dazed. "The sidewalk is public property."

"Not technically. You see, you have a piece of sidewalk and then a little strip of grass beyond the sidewalk. That piece of grass is part of your front yard too. Now, if we get up really carefully, we won't fall into the street, which isn't part of your property."

Fayt looked nervous. "I'm going to fall. I just know it." He tentatively reached a hand to one side and felt part of the grass strip.

"Come on, Fayt. We've come too far to give up now. Just roll carefully to your left and sit up." Albel slowly untangled himself from Fayt and crawled backwards onto the driveway and stood up.

Fayt slowly pushed himself up onto his hands. Albel wrapped strong arms around Fayt and pulled him backwards. Fayt gratefully leaned into Albel. "Thanks. That whole episode has left me feeling kind of drained."

Albel nodded. "But we should have expected something like this."

"Why?"

"Today's the last day we have to get through before we defeat the ghosts. It's natural they're getting a little desperate to kill us."

"Wow, I totally forgot about the time limit," Fayt murmured. "I was too busy just trying to stay alive with worrying over how much longer we had to survive."

Albel shrugged and turned Fayt around facing him. He embraced his friend and then pulled back, putting his hands on Fayt's shoulders and studying his face. "You look hungry," Albel announced. "Let's go inside and get dinner."

"Actually, I'm more cold than hungry," Fayt admitted.

"Okay, I'll make you some soup. That'll warm you up."

"Oh no you don't," Fayt protested. Even I can heat up canned soup."

Albel looked amused. "It's no trouble, Fayt. I like taking care of you."

"You don't have to do everything for me," Fayt said gently. "I'll still need you even if I don't need you to heat soup for me."

Albel looked pained. "But it's going to be our last meal together."

Fayt bit his lip, beginning to see Albel point. "Well, if I let you make breakfast for me, can I heat my own soup?"

Albel grinned. "Go right ahead. Just watch out for that stove. It's a brute."

Fayt rolled his eyes. "The ghosts never use the same trick twice. Relax, I'll be fine."

Albel shrugged. "If you say so, Fayt. I'll be in the bedroom packing up some of our stuff.

Albel began folding up some of his shirt, remembering what had happened each day that he had worn it. He was lost in memories for a few moments until a burnt smell jolted him out of his thoughts.

He raced towards the kitchen and found the whole room enveloped in smoke. Fayt staggered out of the smoky haze, coughing loudly. He stumbled against Albel and took a deep breath. "God, this sucks," he muttered.

Albel smirked. "You managed to burn a can of soup?"

"No, I managed to burn the whole kitchen," Fayt murmured weakly. "I fail at life."

Albel sighed. "Come on, even you can't do that much damage, can you?"

"Well, if I didn't do it, who did?" Fayt asked irritably.

Albel raised and eyebrow and Fayt sighed and nodded. "You're right. The ghosts just had to have a vendetta against my soup. Well, kitchens are replaceable, aren't they?"

Albel scowled and began waving his hands to clear away the smoke. He covered his nose and mouth and stepped into the kitchen, looking for any fire still burning. All he saw was a smoldering piece of black paper on the counter and a message burnt onto the wall:

"In the darkest hour

Of my darkest dream

When justice fades away

And it is all a memory

Of how things used to be"

Albel frowned and made his way out of the kitchen, his eyes watering. "Damn those fiends," he hissed. "The kitchen will need some new paint to get rid of their little message to use." He sighed. "But at least we know it wasn't your fault, Fayt."

"It's okay," Fayt said calmly. "I can go without dinner tonight."

"Me too," Albel said instantly.

Fayt shoved him good-naturedly. "Not you, skinny. You're stick thin."

"I'm not skinny, I'm slim," Albel said indignantly.

Fayt started laughing and Albel scowled and tossed Fayt over his shoulder. "Alright, funny guy. You're going to bed without eating."

Albel dumped Fayt onto the bed and Fayt reached up and pulled Albel down with him. "It's our last night together," Fayt said softly.

Albel settled next to Fayt. "I know. I wonder if I'll ever get to see you again. I'll miss you so much more."

"You will see me again," Fayt comforted him. "We'll get married someday. I'll turn 20 in three months. We can at least wait till then to see if it's really love or just lust."

"Don't even think about anything like that," Albel growled. "I'm not a sexaholic. I'm don't love you just because I'm stuck inside this stupid house for a week and you're the only one here I could have sex with. I haven't had sex with anybody since I was raped. The fact that I would want to with you means something."

Fayt tried to pacify his enraged friend. "That's not what I mean. I'm the only option you have while we're stuck in this house. But when we leave, there are plenty of people for you to choose from. What if you find someone better? I wouldn't want you to be stuck with me for the rest of your life if you would rather be with someone else."

Albel pushed Fayt's hair out of his face and kissed his forehead. "Don't put yourself down like that. How could I ever love anybody else besides you? Now, after you're done with college, we are going to be married and living somewhere where the people in this town can't bother me."

"We can settle where I'm going to college," Fayt suggested.

"Where's that?"

"Massachusetts."

Albel hugged Fayt tightly. "Finally, somewhere we can go and not get ridiculed. So you just wait and in three months I'll come find you and we can start looking for a house back there."

A companionable silence fell, broken only by a loud buzzing. Albel sighed heavily. "Baseball bat, please." Fayt reached over to the nightstand and handed him the bat.

Albel stood up on the bed and automatically dropped into his batter's stance. As each giant mosquito flew towards him, he swung at it and it hit against the wall, leaving a green splat.

At last Albel sighed and let the bat fall from his hands. He dropped back down to the bed. "I told you, Fayt. They're getting desperate. I think I'm going to need to stay up all night."

"If you do, I'll stay up with you," Fayt said firmly.

Albel put his arm around Fayt's shoulders. "Alright, Fayt. I'll be glad to have your company."


	23. In the end

A/N: Finally, I got around to working on this. XD I'm so lazy. But this is the last chapter! Feel the excitement! I can't believe I'm getting around to finishing something! Woo for me! And to all the wonderful loyal reviewers….I couldn't have done it without you! I needed to know that people were interested, or I'll get lazy and slack off…but if you review, I get guilty if I don't work on my stuff. So….that means, the more reviews I get, the guiltier I'll be if I don't work, and the faster I'll update. All of you better keep that in mind in the future. XD

Disclaimer: Too bad I don't own the rights to Albel and Fayt because I think this would have been a great movie. Fayt and Albel are so cute together. XD

Fayt: You say we're cute together…but as soon as we get together, you end the story. :( I just barely got to know Albel.

Me: Stop complaining…I let you two stay way too cuddly those last few chapters.

Albel: -smacks Fayt over the head- Stupid. We're getting married remember? Just because the story ends, it doesn't mean our relationship ends.

Fayt: Oh yeah. -hugs Albel-

Warnings: This chapter is not for the faint of heart…or for those who like things to be graphic….they came...they saw…they went…and did something in between. XD

After a long night battling vampire bats, a thick vine bursting through the window, and being nearly buried in ceiling plaster, Fayt and Albel had fallen asleep out of sheer exhaustion. The two boys slept fitfully in a room choked with a tropical atmosphere almost unfit for breathing. It was too hot for them to sleep close so they slept on opposite sides of the bed with all the sheets and blankets kicked off, both of them stripped down to boxer shorts.

Suddenly, the phone rang. Albel jerked awake while Fayt yawned sleepily.

"What is it?" Fayt asked tiredly.

Albel cursed loudly and snatched up the phone, which was on his side of the bed. "Who the hell are you and what the fuck are you doing calling at this hour?" Albel demanded. "It's three a.m.!"

"Good morning to you too," said a familiar voice with a soft chuckle.

Albel scowled. "Hey, Mr. Leingod. What are you doing calling so early?"

"In heaven time doesn't matter. We have no days or nights."

Fayt stirred. "My dad's on the phone?"

Albel glanced at him. "Uh, did you want to say hello to Fayt?"

"In a second. First, I want you to look out the window."

Albel got up and padded over to the window and opened the blinds. A spectral face plastered against the pane leered in at him.

Albel jumped back. "Holy shit, not that creep again."

"Keep watching," Mr. Leingod advised.

Right before Albel's eyes, a patch of the sky began to swirl with orange, pink, and purple. The male and female ghosts clutched a suitcase in one hand and held tightly onto the porch with the other. He continued to watch as the patch swirled into a colorful miniature and sucked both ghosts up and then vanished with a popping sound.

"Well, that was pretty weird," Albel muttered.

"I just figured you would like to be awake when they went."

Albel shrugged and scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, I'm glad they're gone, but Fayt and I are kind of tired right now. We've had a long night."

"But you'll be able to sleep better now. The air's not so suffocating anymore, is it?"

Albel paused. "Yeah, you're right. That's bizarre."

"Well, after the ghosts left, all the damage that was done to the house was repaired. Nothing is ruined or wrecked. It's all back to normal. I'm sorry I can't say the same for everyone killed, although the blood is all cleaned up and the bodies have already been buried in a spot in the backyard."

Albel sighed. "I'm glad this nightmare is finally over." He sat on the edge of the bed, staring out into space contemplatively.

Fayt crawled over to him. "It's cold now. This sucks. It was really hot a few minutes ago."

Albel wrapped his arms around Fayt's shoulders. "There are some blankets on the floor. You can start with those."

"Ooh, good idea." Fayt scrambled towards the edge of the bed to haul the blankets back up.

"Tell him to wait a second," Fayt's dad said swiftly. "I want to speak to him."

Albel place a hand on Fayt's shoulder. "I think you better wait until you find out what your dad has to say."

Fayt blinked in surprise and took the phone. Albel began to retrieve the blankets.

"Hi, dad. It's nice to talk to you again."

"It's nice to talk to you again too. How are you and Albel getting along? He is managing to keep his hands off you, isn't he?"

Fayt turned bright red. "How'd you know?" He shot Albel an embarrassed glance.

His father laughed. "I know a lot about what's going on between you. I know how guilty you feel whenever Albel looks at you a certain way. You love him, but you're not quite ready to surrender to that yet. You're afraid of what happens next. Albel won't get you pregnant and he won't leave you. You know that. What you're really afraid of is what I think. I told you to wait until you're married, so you're planning on doing that. I also told you it was a good idea to wait until you're twenty. You know, you don't have to wait until you're twenty."

"But I wanted to make sure it was really love-" Fayt absently shrugged back into his pajama shirt.

"I know Albel loves you. You know that too. Now stop worrying about never seeing me again. Death cannot stop true love. You two need to go ahead and get married as soon as you can, maybe even today."

"Today?" Fayt squeaked. "We can't get married today."

Albel perked up and shot Fayt a questioning glance. Fayt grimaced. "Dad, you know that weddings need witnesses and-"

"Calm down, son. You're so uptight about everything. If things aren't perfect, you freak out."

The phone clicked onto speaker phone and a small golden ring fell from the ceiling. "There. That one is your mother's. Now, if I can just get mine off…you can have that one too. Okay, there."

Fayt picked up the first ring. "My mother's…" he whispered. "I haven't seen this in years."

"I know. I always meant for you to have it and now seems like a good time. I'm pretty sure it'll work for Albel. He has pretty skinny fingers."

Albel scowled. "Just because I'm skinny doesn't mean I'm a girl."

"I know you're not a girl. You've just got the figure…well, if you were wearing a dress…it'd be hard to tell."

Albel shuddered and glared at the phone. "I don't go in for cross-dressing or stuff like that. Geez, I've never been more insulted."

Fayt's dad laughed as Albel scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. "Take it easy, Albel. I'm just having a little fun. You're both too serious. You're married now. You should be happy." The phone clicked off.

Albel gave Fayt a predatory look. "That's right…we're married now."

"Hell no," Fayt growled. "I'm cold and I'm tired."

Albel looked pained. "Sex will warm you up."

"Albel, it's three a.m.! I want to sleep till at least 6, and then we'll talk about it."

Albel sighed heavily. "Alright, Fayt. I'll give you until six."

Fayt burrowed under the blankets up against Albel and immediately drifted back to sleep. But Albel had other things to do…

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"Hey, Fayt," Albel hissed. "Wake up."

"I said not until six," Fayt growled. "You've been waiting patiently for two days so you can wait another 3 hours."

"Fayt, it's already six."

"Oh." Fayt blinked and slowly sat up. He yawned and stretched. "Alright, now what do you want to do?"

Fayt squeaked in alarm as Albel tackled him. "Alright! Get off, get off!"

Albel sat back and frowned at Fayt. He pointed at Fayt's chest. "Shirt off."

Fayt hugged his arms tightly around himself. "But it's too cold for that."

Albel scowled. "You'll warm up after awhile. But I guess we'll have to do this the hard way."

After a few moments, Albel had wrestled all of Fayt's clothes off. Fayt backed up against the wall nervously. "This is going to hurt, isn't it?"

Albel shrugged. "I can't promise you it won't. It might hurt, but I won't hurt you on purpose. I'll try not to. The only thing I know is that it hurts less after awhile."

"Great," Fayt muttered. "Now I feel so much better."

Albel grinned ferociously. "If you're raped, it hurts the whole time. But you'll be willing, won't you?"

Fayt yelped and tried to escape, but Albel pinned him to the bed. Albel nibbled on Fayt's ear. "Don't make me have to hurt you. If you stay calm, it'll be a lot easier on you."

"Uh, don't people usually start their honeymoons at night?" Fayt asked weakly.

"I'm not going to wait that long, Fayt, and neither are you." Albel trailed a finger all the way down Fayt's chest to below his waist.

Fayt shut his eyes tightly and made a strangled sound. Albel chuckled and let his tongue follow the same trail.

Fayt arched his back and whimpered. "St-stop. That's gross."

Albel shrugged casually and kissed Fayt's cheek. "I suppose I can't expect you to like everything, so we'll start with something basic." He gently pushed Fayt onto his side.

Fayt's eyes flew open. "What the hell? Now you have to stick a finger up my ass? Don't you know how to do anything normal?"

Albel shrugged apologetically. "I have to stretch you out. It'll hurt a lot more if I don't. Just try to be patient. I only have to get to three fingers."

"Oh, only three?" Fayt muttered sarcastically.

Albel nipped at Fat's neck. "I'll do four if you'd like."

Fayt groaned. "Three is plenty."

Fayt's breath came in short, quick gasps. His fists were clenched tightly with pain and he whimpered at each new finger.

"Fayt, just try to relax," Albel whispered. "I know this is all new to you and it's probably uncomfortable, but I promise it'll get much better if you can get through this."

Fayt took a deep breath to calm himself. Okay, so things weren't that bad. He could do this.

Albel felt some of the tension leave Fayt's body and he kissed the crook of Fayt's neck. "I knew you could do it. Now I'm done stretching you out. Now we can move on."

Fayt pointed to the tube in Albel's hand. "Now, what is that?"

Albel blinked. "It's-"

Fayt held up his hands. "Wait. I don't want to know. But where did you find it?"

Albel shrugged. "In the bathroom down the hall."

Fayt pouted. "So while I was sleeping, you were looking for sex stuff?"

"No, just this. Now, hold still, Fayt."

"Stop it! That's cold!"

"You can either feel cold or you can feel pain. Take your pick, Fayt."

"Fine," Fayt muttered sulkily.

Fayt tensed and whimpered in pain as Albel began to push himself into Fayt.

"It's okay, Fayt. Just relax. I promise I'll go slow and be gentle," Albel assured Fayt.

Albel lay still beside Fayt for a moment and waited for Fayt to adjust. At last, Fayt let out a long sigh. "Okay, I'm alright. You can keep going."

Albel wrapped his arms tightly around Fayt's chest and held him still as he pushed forward.

"Fuck!" Fayt hissed. "That hurts!"

Albel shifted slightly. "Come on, Fayt. You have to have a pleasure spot somewhere."

Fayt smacked him. "Stop talking dirty!"

Albel rolled his eyes. "If you haven't noticed, we're doing something dirty."

Fayt leaned back against Albel. "Maybe you are. I don't know what I'm doing."

Albel shrugged and moved slightly, leaning forward against Fayt.

Fayt gasped and made a noise like he had just realized something.

"What is it, Fayt?" Albel asked worriedly.

"Right there," Fayt said breathlessly.

"Right there?"

"Yes, right there."

Albel grinned. "Oh good. We found your sweet spot."

"Albel, what did I tell you about-"

Albel cut him off with a particularly hard thrust.

Fayt moaned. "Oh god. Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

Albel grinned. "That's what I'm doing, Fayt."

Panting, Fayt threw his head back against Albel and tightly clutched Albel's wrists.

Albel winced at Fayt's scream but let himself ignore it and get carried over the edge. He slumped forward against Fayt. "God, you're loud," he muttered tiredly.

"Couldn't help it," Fayt said sleepily. "Just go to sleep and pretend it didn't happen."

"Aren't you sticky, Fayt? Are you sure you don't want to get cleaned up first?"

"Wait till morning. I'm too tired to care."

"Fayt, it's already morning."

"Motherfucker," Fayt growled. "Shut up and let me sleep. I've had a rough night."

Albel chuckled and snuggled up against Fayt, falling back asleep.

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The sun was shining brightly through the window when Albel and Fayt woke up again. Fayt yawned hugely and stretched. Albel pinned Fayt down to the bed. "Good morning. I'm not letting you up until you kiss me."

Fayt wrapped his arms around Albel's neck and pulled him closer. "I think I can arrange that."

A door slammed somewhere in the house and a woman's shrill voice called out, "What a mess this place is! There's dirty dishes everywhere! And the dust! Lord, this place needs a good cleaning."

Albel's eyes widened. "Oh shit. The realtors."

Fayt quickly rolled out of bed and hastily began tugging on some clothes. "Stay right here," he warned Albel as he dashed out of the room.

Fayt found a plump, middle-aged woman in the living room, looking disapprovingly at the layer of dust over the mantel. She glanced up at Fayt as he entered. "Hello. I'm Mrs. Traydor's client. She gave me a key and said I could stop in and look the place over."

"How nice," Fayt said weakly.

The woman nodded brusquely. "It's a decent house. I'll have it thoroughly cleaned of course before I move in, but I think it'll do fine. Now, let me see the rest of the house."

Fayt paled as the woman bustled down the hallway towards the bedroom. "Really, ma'am…are you sure…err…can I-"

"It's okay, Fayt. You don't need to stall her." Albel leaned against the wall, wearing only a pair of tight black pants.

Fayt blushed scarlet as the woman scowled at Albel. "Get some clothes on, boy!"

"Albel, this is the potential buyer," Fayt said quietly. "Could you perhaps tidy up the room a bit before she looks at it?"

Albel did a mocking bow. "By all means, love. It's as good as done."

The woman frowned. "Albel? Albel Nox? Why, you scoundrel. You should be ashamed of yourself! It's your kind that pollutes our beautiful city!"

Fayt caught the woman's arms as she was about to deck Albel with her huge purse. "Ma'am…I don't think Albel left any germs in the house." He looked hard at Albel as he said it.

Albel rolled his eyes. "I already told you…I cleaned up the bedroom."

The woman stared at Fayt intently. "You too? Sweet Jesus, they're multiplying! Well, I won't stand for it!" She stormed out of the house.

Albel grinned at Fayt. "It seems that you are now in possession of a house…and my mom is looking for somewhere to live."

Fayt winked. "I'll have my people talk to your people. I'm sure we could discuss something reasonable. Now, care to step into my office?"

Albel smirked as he followed Fayt back into the bedroom.

A/N: yes, it's finally done. X.X Yes, I know it's long…but I couldn't help myself.


End file.
